Live Blog: Ukraine In Crisis (Archive)

We are now closing our live blog for today. Don't forget that you can keep abreast of all our Ukraine coverage here.

PHOTO GALLERY: The Aftermath Of The Downing Of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17

On July 17 the world was shocked by the news that Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, a scheduled international passenger connection between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur, had been shot down over eastern Ukraine. It is believed to have been hit with a BUK surface-to-air missile. The aircraft went down near the village of Hrabove in an area controlled by pro-Russian separatists. All 283 passengers and 15 crew on board the Boeing 777-200ER airliner died in the tragic incident.

Good morning. Here is our latest news wrap on MH17. Comments made by Putin on the crash have been posted on his website. He says that "Russia will do all that we can" to end the conflict in Ukraine. The "Kyiv Post" has a transcript in English.

Fighting continuing in Donetsk:

It seems fighting has broken out in Donetsk. Is Kyiv making the push into the separatists' capital?

Report that Ukrainian forces attacking Donetsk, from our news desk:

A pro-Russian separatist leader says Ukrainian military forces are attacking rebel forces in the eastern city of Donetsk.

Sergei Kavtaradze, a self-styled official in the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic," said at least four Ukrainian tanks and armored vehicles were attempting to fight their way into the city.

Fighting is also centered around the city's train station, where explosions and plumes of black smoke are reported.

People were seen fleeing the city center, near the train station, where two rebel tanks were reportedly driving toward.

The Donetsk city council issued a statement warning people to remain in their homes and to stay away from several roads and the Krasnoarmeiskoye highway because of fighting.

A Ukrainian military official in Kyiv said the operation is in an "active phase" and he could not comment on it. (Reuters, AP)

More reports of fighting in Donetsk:

Meanwhile, Kyiv continues to accuse the separatists of hampering the investigation in the Malaysian crash:

It seems the Dutch crash investigators have begun to inspect the bodies from the Malaysian crash: