Donetsk in firing line as MH17 crash site becomes battlefield goal

By Paul McGeough
Updated July 31 2014 - 7:08am, first published July 30 2014 - 9:48am
Residents of Shakhtersk run towards buses being provided by the Pro-Russian rebels for people wanting to flee the town from the conflict after heavy shelling over the past two days in the area. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Residents of Shakhtersk run towards buses being provided by the Pro-Russian rebels for people wanting to flee the town from the conflict after heavy shelling over the past two days in the area. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Marsha (right) embraces her scared daughter Lylia  as they join other people from Shakhtersk fleeing the continued heavy shelling of the town half way between Donetsk and the MH17 crash site. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Marsha (right) embraces her scared daughter Lylia as they join other people from Shakhtersk fleeing the continued heavy shelling of the town half way between Donetsk and the MH17 crash site. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Dimitriy Gorozhaninov sits inside the remains of his families home where his father, mother, sister and wife died when a shell landed on the home in Petrovskiy on the outskirts of Donetsk. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Dimitriy Gorozhaninov sits inside the remains of his families home where his father, mother, sister and wife died when a shell landed on the home in Petrovskiy on the outskirts of Donetsk. Photo: Kate Geraghty

Shakhtersk, Ukraine: A blanket of pale smoke hung over Shakhtersk and jagged pillars of darker smoke rose from the downtown area, as the Ukrainian army attempted to tighten its noose on key rebel-held cities in eastern Ukraine.

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