Ukraine says suspends attacks to let experts reach crash site

Ukraine said on Thursday it had suspended offensive operations in its military campaign in east Ukraine to help international experts reach the downed Malaysian airliner's crash site but separatists were continuing to attack its positions. Kiev said ‘anti-terrorist operation’ (ATO) against pro-Russian rebels in the east that it was heeding calls by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to stop fighting near the plane crash site. ‘On July 31, troops involved in the active ATO phase are not conducting military operations apart from protecting their own positions from attack,’ it said. ‘But mercenary fighters of the Russian terrorists are not respecting any international agreements and requests.’ The rebels have accused Kiev of blocking access to the Malaysian MH17 flight crash site by fighting in the area, according to Reuters.