Rebels control MH17 site

SHAKHTARSK, UKRAINE (AFP) – The EU is set to approve punishing sanctions against Russia Tuesday over its role in the Ukraine crisis, after Kyiv seized control of part of the MH17 crash site in fighting that blocked an international effort to recover victims’ remains.

Kyiv said its troops had entered a string of towns around the scene of the July 17 Malaysian airliner disaster in eastern Ukraine, including Shakhtarsk which lies 10 kilometres (six miles) away. The fighting and explosions forced an unarmed mission of Dutch and Australian police to turn back for the second day running before reaching the site, where the remains of some of the 298 victims still lie in the fields.

A new attempt to reach the site and conduct a detailed examination was to be made on Tuesday. Alexander Hug, the OSCE mission’s deputy head, said: “We have made it clear to everyone involved that tomorrow we absolutely have to have safe access.” But Dutch investigators leading the probe said it was now likely that some remains may never be recovered.

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