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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Donetsk residents start returning home despite continuous shelling

Earlier, the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic fighters said most of Ukrainian forces and the National Guard had withdrawn from the republic’s territory

© ITAR-TASS/Konstantin Sazonchik

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DONETSK, September 03. /ITAR-TASS/. Residents of Ukraine’s war-torn city of Donetsk have started returning to their homes despite continuous shelling, the Novorossiya News Agency said on Wednesday.

Eyewitnesses said at least one person had been reported wounded. They said the fighters had regained control of the airport of Donetsk that was a strategic point for Ukrainian troops to allow them to shell the city. These were the bloodiest clashes, militias said, adding that the assault had been continuing all night.

Earlier, the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic fighters said most of Ukrainian forces and the National Guard had withdrawn from the republic’s territory.

Ukrainian troops left the strong points on the Donetsk-Mariupol road, as well as Yelenovka, Volnovakha, Maryinka and Kurakhovo, and settlements in the Starobeshevo, militias said.

The Donetsk fighters said Ukrainian troops had suffered heavy losses in Ukraine’s embattled south-eastern regions in August.

Over 3,600 Ukrainian troops were either killed or wounded. The Donetsk fighters destroyed almost 220 tanks and over 480 armored vehicles, the militia headquarters said.

Donetsk fighters said they had also destroyed almost 190 multiple launch rocket systems, about 750 trucks and 76 ammunition depots.

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