Artillery explosions continue to rock Ukraine’s Donetsk Airport

Ukraine’s Donetsk Airport was rocked by loud artillery and artillery fire on Monday, despite attempts to end the battle through the September peace truce.

Reuters quoted separatist leader Andrei Purgin as saying that the rebels had reached an agreement with the Ukrainian forces to stop shelling around Donetsk Airport, which is under partial control of both Ukrainian and rebel forces.

However, a military spokesman in Kiev said the fighting had abated overnight and that the agreement was meant only to allow the rebels to recover the dead and wounded from the airport.

A statement released by the government in the name of Donetsk city administration stated that the situation in the city is tense.

The war has been continuing between separatists and Russian forces despite the peace truce that was signed between the two nations on 5 September. The war has killed more than 4,000 people since April. The unabated shelling from both sides has led government forces and rebels to blame each other of violating the truce.

Due to the Ukraine crisis, Russian Airlines are experiencing a drop in passenger numbers. Several analysts are expecting fleet reduction and state support next year to meet the losses.

Reuters quoted president of association of air transport operators Vladimir Tasun as saying: "We are seeing a change within airlines’ flight structure, which are fraught with negative consequences for their financial health."

The situation in Ukraine has worsened since 2 November after the rebels held leadership elections, which Kiev and the west said was a violation of the ceasefire deal.

A decision on how to respond to the elections will be reached at a meeting of European Union foreign ministers to be held in Brussels.