Fighting flares at Ukraine's Donetsk airport

By
AFP
|
Fighting flares at Ukraine's Donetsk airport
DONETSK: Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels were battling around the airport near the insurgent stronghold of Donetsk on Tuesday, sending flames and clouds of black smoke into the sky.

The fighting erupted despite a new truce agreement reached Saturday which calls for forces on both sides to cease fire and pull back from the frontline to create a buffer zone.

The airport, which was severely damaged in a fierce battle in May, was hit by heavy artillery and the rattle of automatic weapons fire could also be heard, the journalists said.

Donetsk is the largest insurgent-held city in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine but the airport remains under the control of government forces despite numerous rebel assaults.