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Officials Pull Back from Crash Site as the Army Puts Pressure on Rebels Officials Pull Back From Crash Site as the Army Puts Pressure on Rebels
(35 minutes later)
SHAKHTYORSK, Ukraine — Fierce fighting gripped a dozen towns in eastern Ukraine on Monday, blocking an international police force from reaching the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which is now near, or even in the middle of, a battlefield.SHAKHTYORSK, Ukraine — Fierce fighting gripped a dozen towns in eastern Ukraine on Monday, blocking an international police force from reaching the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which is now near, or even in the middle of, a battlefield.
Fighting near the crash site forced a convoy of 20 cars carrying Dutch and Australian police officers to turn back. The police officers were hoping to secure the area to permit the recovery of remaining bodies from the jetliner crash and to enable an international investigation.Fighting near the crash site forced a convoy of 20 cars carrying Dutch and Australian police officers to turn back. The police officers were hoping to secure the area to permit the recovery of remaining bodies from the jetliner crash and to enable an international investigation.
The road to the site is now violently contested between pro-Russia rebel fighters and the Ukrainian military because it is also a route for supplies to reach the rebels holding Donetsk, the provincial capital, and for their wounded to be evacuated.The road to the site is now violently contested between pro-Russia rebel fighters and the Ukrainian military because it is also a route for supplies to reach the rebels holding Donetsk, the provincial capital, and for their wounded to be evacuated.
The convoy set out from Donetsk and stopped in Shakhtyorsk, one of the towns being fought over on Monday, when artillery explosions could be heard ahead. The convoy started forward again, but then turned back before reaching the crash site because of the risk to the delegation, even though the separatists were willing to let it proceed, apparently toward Ukrainian Army positions.The convoy set out from Donetsk and stopped in Shakhtyorsk, one of the towns being fought over on Monday, when artillery explosions could be heard ahead. The convoy started forward again, but then turned back before reaching the crash site because of the risk to the delegation, even though the separatists were willing to let it proceed, apparently toward Ukrainian Army positions.
Fighting raged farther east along the highway as well, overnight and through the day. Outside Shakhty-20, a coal mining town on the road, a photographer who was passing through Monday morning saw the scorched hulks of Ukrainian armored personnel carriers in the road, and the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers lying about.Fighting raged farther east along the highway as well, overnight and through the day. Outside Shakhty-20, a coal mining town on the road, a photographer who was passing through Monday morning saw the scorched hulks of Ukrainian armored personnel carriers in the road, and the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers lying about.
The Ukrainian offensive was intensive enough that the separatists’ military commander — a Russian citizen who uses the name Igor Strelkov, or Igor the Shooter — held a news conference on Monday to deny rumors that he had fled the city or that important positions had fallen.The Ukrainian offensive was intensive enough that the separatists’ military commander — a Russian citizen who uses the name Igor Strelkov, or Igor the Shooter — held a news conference on Monday to deny rumors that he had fled the city or that important positions had fallen.
“Everywhere, the fight was tough,” he said. “They attacked from the north and the south. As a result of the fierce fighting, most of the advance was pushed back.”“Everywhere, the fight was tough,” he said. “They attacked from the north and the south. As a result of the fierce fighting, most of the advance was pushed back.”
The Malaysian airliner was on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17 when it fell from the sky over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people aboard. Ukrainian and American officials say that a Russian-made surface-to-air missile fired from territory held by separatist rebels brought the jetliner down. The Kremlin and the rebels say the Ukrainian government was responsible for the crash.The Malaysian airliner was on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17 when it fell from the sky over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people aboard. Ukrainian and American officials say that a Russian-made surface-to-air missile fired from territory held by separatist rebels brought the jetliner down. The Kremlin and the rebels say the Ukrainian government was responsible for the crash.
Asked at the news conference if he had shot down the plane, Mr. Strelkov said that he would not have known how, even though he once served as a guard in an air defense unit. He also denied that his forces had the type of missile the United States says brought down the plane. “I did not have under my command any Buk systems, so I could not have ordered them to shoot at the airplane of Malaysia Airlines,” he said. “My subordinates did not do it.”Asked at the news conference if he had shot down the plane, Mr. Strelkov said that he would not have known how, even though he once served as a guard in an air defense unit. He also denied that his forces had the type of missile the United States says brought down the plane. “I did not have under my command any Buk systems, so I could not have ordered them to shoot at the airplane of Malaysia Airlines,” he said. “My subordinates did not do it.”
In Kiev, Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for the government’s security council, said the Ukrainian offensive had made gains, capturing a hilltop World War II monument complex that rebels have used for weeks as a stronghold. The claim could not be independently verified. In Donetsk, Mr. Strelkov said the site had not fallen.In Kiev, Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for the government’s security council, said the Ukrainian offensive had made gains, capturing a hilltop World War II monument complex that rebels have used for weeks as a stronghold. The claim could not be independently verified. In Donetsk, Mr. Strelkov said the site had not fallen.
Though there were clear signs of fighting near the debris fields of Flight 17, Mr. Lysenko insisted on Monday that government forces were respecting an agreement to cease hostilities within a 24-mile radius of the wreckage site.Though there were clear signs of fighting near the debris fields of Flight 17, Mr. Lysenko insisted on Monday that government forces were respecting an agreement to cease hostilities within a 24-mile radius of the wreckage site.
Mr. Lysenko said government forces had approached the wreckage site from the south, but had not been engaged in fighting and did not control the debris. “At the plane crash site, the Ukrainian military does not conduct any military operations,” he said. “There is a ban on this. However, we have information that terrorists from time to time are shelling the plane crash area, in particular from mortars and artillery, in order to destroy all possible evidence.”Mr. Lysenko said government forces had approached the wreckage site from the south, but had not been engaged in fighting and did not control the debris. “At the plane crash site, the Ukrainian military does not conduct any military operations,” he said. “There is a ban on this. However, we have information that terrorists from time to time are shelling the plane crash area, in particular from mortars and artillery, in order to destroy all possible evidence.”
The shooting down of Flight 17 may amount to a war crime, according to Navi Pillay, the United Nations’ top human rights official. Ms. Pillay, in Geneva, assailed the pro-Russia rebels on Monday for imposing a “reign of fear and terror” in the region, and said that “every effort will be made to ensure that anyone committing serious violations of international law, including war crimes, will be brought to justice, no matter who they are.”The shooting down of Flight 17 may amount to a war crime, according to Navi Pillay, the United Nations’ top human rights official. Ms. Pillay, in Geneva, assailed the pro-Russia rebels on Monday for imposing a “reign of fear and terror” in the region, and said that “every effort will be made to ensure that anyone committing serious violations of international law, including war crimes, will be brought to justice, no matter who they are.”
United Nations monitors issued a report on Monday saying that although “casualty figures are hard to gauge reliably,” the best available estimates were that at least 1,129 people have been killed and 3,442 have been wounded in the fighting in eastern Ukraine since mid-April.United Nations monitors issued a report on Monday saying that although “casualty figures are hard to gauge reliably,” the best available estimates were that at least 1,129 people have been killed and 3,442 have been wounded in the fighting in eastern Ukraine since mid-April.
In Moscow on Monday, the foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, repeated a Russian call for the United States to make public whatever proof it has that Flight 17 was brought down by a missile fired from rebel-controlled territory. “We do not understand why the Americans, who say that they have strong evidence to support their accusation, why they do not show that evidence,” he said at a news conference.In Moscow on Monday, the foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, repeated a Russian call for the United States to make public whatever proof it has that Flight 17 was brought down by a missile fired from rebel-controlled territory. “We do not understand why the Americans, who say that they have strong evidence to support their accusation, why they do not show that evidence,” he said at a news conference.
Mr. Lavrov also said that the United Nations should guarantee security at the crash site, and he called on Ukraine to respect a United Nations Security Council resolution adopted on July 21 asking all parties to refrain from any action that would complicate the investigation.Mr. Lavrov also said that the United Nations should guarantee security at the crash site, and he called on Ukraine to respect a United Nations Security Council resolution adopted on July 21 asking all parties to refrain from any action that would complicate the investigation.
The crisis in eastern Ukraine has drawn an array of reciprocal threats and accusations between Moscow and the West. The Obama administration stepped up its pressure on Moscow over the weekend by releasing photographs that it said showed that Russian forces had fired across the border into Ukraine.The crisis in eastern Ukraine has drawn an array of reciprocal threats and accusations between Moscow and the West. The Obama administration stepped up its pressure on Moscow over the weekend by releasing photographs that it said showed that Russian forces had fired across the border into Ukraine.
Mr. Lavrov dismissed those photos on Monday, saying, “Let the experts deal with them,” and he told reporters that if the United States and Ukraine’s other allies were concerned about cross-border exchanges, they should have agreed weeks ago to a plan for monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to be stationed at two border crossings.Mr. Lavrov dismissed those photos on Monday, saying, “Let the experts deal with them,” and he told reporters that if the United States and Ukraine’s other allies were concerned about cross-border exchanges, they should have agreed weeks ago to a plan for monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to be stationed at two border crossings.
“That would prevent the rumors that those checkpoints are used to transport weapons and people from Russia to Ukraine,” Mr. Lavrov said. Critics have said that monitoring just the two border stations is insufficient.“That would prevent the rumors that those checkpoints are used to transport weapons and people from Russia to Ukraine,” Mr. Lavrov said. Critics have said that monitoring just the two border stations is insufficient.