Pro-Russian rebels assaulted a military checkpoint in eastern Ukraine Thursday, killing about 11 troops and hurting at least 33 others, the Associated Press reported. 

The attack took place three days before the scheduled presidential election, marking the most remorseless raid in the past weeks.

Like Us on Facebook

An insurgent group, which claimed that they were responsible for the attack, stated that they also lost a member.

Initial reports said the bodies of the 11 dead soldiers from Ukraine were scattered around a checkpoint located near the village of Blahodatne, about 30 kilometers south of the city of Donetsk. 

Several witnesses, including a medical worker, claimed that 33 Ukrainian troops were injured due to the raid and some were in serious condition. All the casualties were being given medical attention at the hospitals nearby.

The Defense Ministry of Ukraine have verified the attacks but refused to comment on the casualties.

Acting Ukraine Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk blamed Russia because of its support to the rebels hiding in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. The said rebels have announced their independence from the Kiev government.

The carnage that happened Thursday dampens the future of the presidential election on Sunday, which rebels from the east have vowed to disrupt. 

Officials in Kiev believe that the vote can be a catalyst to resolve the tensions and finally instill peace and order in the country. 

Still, the government admitted that it will be unfeasible to conduct the election in several eastern areas, where the election authorities and voters have experience intimidation and occasional death threats from the rebels.

Three burned Ukrainian armored infantry vehicles with broken turrets and several charred trucks were discovered at an area in the region of Donetsk. The army officials went to the site using the military helicopter.  

Residents said the insurgents used an armored bank truck, which the unsuspecting government soldiers allowed to pass through, before shooting them down at point-blank range.