Heavy gun battle near Donetsk airport

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Ukrainian army helicopter (archive)

There is heavy gun battle close to the international airport of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine.
Meanwhile, a group of Russian and foreign reporters has come under fire of Ukrainian law enforces half-a-kilometer from the international airport of Donetsk. Fighting is currently underway at the airport, and a sniper is shooting at reporters who are trying to capture the developments on video, reports itar-tass.
According to some reports, residents of districts located close to the airport are being evacuated. On the videos broadcast live from the site of the events can be seen law enforcement officers asking a group of journalists to leave the combat area. However, the reporters fail to withdraw from the site, because all the area near the airport is under gunfire.
The traffic in Donetsk downtown, as well as all the approaches to the international airport are blocked by traffic police.
According to preliminary reports, Ukrainian Air Force is applying assault aviation to attack the positions of militia. The press service of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic reports that one helicopter might have been shot down.
However, AFP reports that Ukraine scrambled fighter jets and combat helicopters to strike rebel gunmen, who seized control of the main airport in the eastern city of Donetsk on Monday, triggering heavy gunbattles.
Thick black smoke was seen rising from the airport complex as the sound of explosions and heavy machinegun fire rang out, AFP correspondents at the scene said.
The fierce confrontation erupted after Ukrainian oligarch Petro Poroshenko, who claimed victory in Sunday's crucial presidential election, vowed to press on with an offensive against pro-Russian separatists waging a bloody insurgency across the east.

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