Moscow - Pro-Russian rebels have allowed Dutch investigators to examine bodies from the crashed Malaysia Airlines plane at a railway station in eastern Ukraine.

The three Dutch experts said the train might leave the town of Torez later.

All 298 people on board flight MH17 died when it crashed over the rebel-held area on 17 July. The US and other nations say there is growing evidence of Russian complicity in the crash.

Meanwhile, heavy fighting is reported in the main rebel-held city of Donetsk.

The clashes - involving heavy weapons - are continuing near the city's airport and the railway station, eyewitnesses say.

At least three civilians were reported killed, and one multi-storey building was seen on fire. Residents are fleeing the city, report BBC correspondents on the ground.

The fighting in eastern Ukraine erupted in April and is believed to have claimed more than 1,000 lives.

In other developments on Monday:

Ukrainian officials say 272 bodies have so far been found

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk says the Netherlands should lead an international inquiry

A separate group of 31 international investigators is now in the eastern city of Kharkiv. They are expected to proceed closer to the crash site shortly

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has ordered government forces to halt fire in a 40km (24 miles) area around the crash site

Russian President Vladimir Putin says it is essential to give international experts complete security so they can conduct an independent investigation

 

BBC News