Two Western photographers hurt in east Ukraine

Two Western photographers were wounded on Saturday along with their Russian translator while covering fighting raging in Ukraine’s separatist east.

William Roguelon of France’s Wostok Press agency told AFP by telephone that the three men were hit in an attack moments after getting out of their car on the frontline between separatist and Ukrainian forces just south of the rebel stronghold city of Slavyansk.

Roguelon, who did not specify who opened fire, said he was wounded in both legs but managed to make his way to a Slavyansk hospital after being allowed to get out of the area by the separatists.

A separatist commander quoted by Russian agency Ria Novosti also said the group were caught in an attack.

The incident is the first reported case of Western reporters being wounded in fighting in the east of Ukraine.

Slavyansk fell under rebel control in early April at the start of a separatist insurgency in the industrial Donetsk and Lugansk regions near Russia.

The city is encircled by federal forces and the scene of daily fighting.