DONETSK, May 27. /ITAR-TASS/. Automatic fire has broken out again near the Donetsk airport, with helicopter gunships and fight planes flying over, a militia representative told ITAR-TASS. Helicopters opened fire at militia units' ground positions, according to preliminary reports.

Jets have returned to the air space over Donetsk on Tuesday, but pilots have not been conducting any operations yet, ITAR-TASS reported from the scene.

Ukraine’s law-enforcers have blocked all exits from Donetsk and do not even let passenger buses leave the area of military operation, a militia representative told ITAR-TASS.

"The only road out of the city is towards the settlement of Makeyevka, but you'll need detours to get there anyway," he said.

Meanwhile, the city has scrambled to evacuate schools and all the housing and public utilities departments have been ordered to prepare bomb shelters in case of active fighting and bombings.

The press service of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic said that the Kiev authorities had resumed the punitive operation in the Donetsk territory at 12.00 pm local time on Tuesday. The population had been warned beforehand that they might leave the Donetsk territory, but the people are reluctant to leave their homes.

Armed clashes in the area of Donetsk Sergey Prokofiev International Airport began on Monday morning. The Ukrainian law enforcers have used combat aircraft, including jets and helicopters, in the rebel territory. The fighting in the area of the airport continued throughout Monday and last night.