Six troops killed in Ukraine east

KIEV: Pro-Russian separatists on Friday accused Ukrainian troops of gunning down five soldiers "in cold blood" while Kiev said one of its own soldiers died as a result of shelling.

The new casualties in war-torn eastern Ukraine were announced as Russian leader Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden prepare for their first summit meeting in Geneva on June 16. The years-long conflict in eastern Ukraine -- including an escalation of tensions since the start of 2021 -- is expected to be high on the agenda. Officials in the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic on Friday accused a Ukrainian special operations unit of killing five separatist troops "in cold blood" at an observation post in the village of Golubivske.