DHAKA: Ukraine’s president promised a tough response on Saturday to pro-Russian separatists who shot down an army transport plane, killing 49 servicemen and dealing a blow to a military campaign to crush their uprising.

Newly installed Petro Poroshenko summoned security chiefs for consultations after the plane was hit by an anti-aircraft missile as it came in to land at an airport outside the city of Luhansk, a centre of the rebellion in east Ukraine.

‘All those involved in cynical acts of terrorism of this magnitude must be punished,’ he said, declaring Sunday a day of mourning for the nine crew and 40 paratroopers killed, reports The Straits Times.

He later issued a separate statement saying he had called another meeting of his security chiefs for Monday, and that the armed forces had already intensified their operation – intended to prevent Ukraine breaking up.

BDST: 2001 HRS, JUNE 15, 2014