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Ukraine rebels renew push to take Donetsk airport | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Rebel forces in eastern Ukraine are conducting an offensive to capture the government-held airport in Donetsk, officials say. | Rebel forces in eastern Ukraine are conducting an offensive to capture the government-held airport in Donetsk, officials say. |
Pro-Russian rebels have tried several times in recent weeks to take the airport, which lies to the north-west of the city. | Pro-Russian rebels have tried several times in recent weeks to take the airport, which lies to the north-west of the city. |
The insurgents continued an offensive - begun on Wednesday - on "a broad front", the Ukrainian military says. | The insurgents continued an offensive - begun on Wednesday - on "a broad front", the Ukrainian military says. |
An official truce in place in eastern Ukraine has often been violated. | An official truce in place in eastern Ukraine has often been violated. |
The ceasefire was called on 5 September, but on Wednesday four people were killed by a shell which landed on a school in Donetsk, and six died when a minibus was hit. | The ceasefire was called on 5 September, but on Wednesday four people were killed by a shell which landed on a school in Donetsk, and six died when a minibus was hit. |
A spokesman for what the Ukrainian government calls its anti-terrorist operation said Ukrainian forces repelled four attacks on the airport on Wednesday evening. | A spokesman for what the Ukrainian government calls its anti-terrorist operation said Ukrainian forces repelled four attacks on the airport on Wednesday evening. |
A T-64 tank was destroyed and seven rebels were killed, Vladyslav Seleznyov told Kanal 5 TV. | A T-64 tank was destroyed and seven rebels were killed, Vladyslav Seleznyov told Kanal 5 TV. |
The rebels used tanks, multiple-launch rocket systems, artillery and mortars, he said, resuming their attacks on Thursday morning with small-arms fire. | The rebels used tanks, multiple-launch rocket systems, artillery and mortars, he said, resuming their attacks on Thursday morning with small-arms fire. |
The airport is strategically important, lying just outside Donetsk, the largest city held by the rebels. Its capture by the separatists would help them to resupply. | |
Government forces have been using it to shell separatist positions inside the city. | |
A reporter for Associated Press in Donetsk said on Wednesday there were indications the government may already have lost control of the airport, while rebel-leader Alexander Zakharchenko said it was "90%" under separatist control. | |
Officials insist the airport is still under government control. | |
More than 3,500 people have been killed in Ukraine in the conflict between pro-Russia separatists and the Kiev government since it began in April. | |
The fighting arose from deep divisions in Ukraine over whether the country should take a more pro-Western or pro-Moscow direction. | |
Russia seized the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in March and separatists later declared independence in the two eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. | |
Russia denies Western accusations that it is sending heavy weaponry to the rebels or Russian soldiers to back them. But the Kremlin concedes that "volunteers" have travelled to eastern Ukraine. |