Separatists And The Ukrainian Army Have Destroyed Large Sections Of Donetsk's Airport

The fighting continues to rage throughout the rebel-held city of Donetsk. The Ukrainian army holds the airport, but the separatists have mounted frequent and sustained attacks in order to push the government forces out.

The continuation of hostilities has prompted the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to release a report from their Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine on Oct. 17. The report found that the situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine "remained tense."

The report states that the monitoring mission heard repeated loud explosions throughout Donetsk and its surroundings that were consistent with artillery rounds. On-the-ground reporters have also circulated images of severe damage at the airport.

The fight for control of the Donetsk Airport remains one of the key sticking points standing in the way of a more robust ceasefire in eastern Ukraine. The separatists are unwilling to allow the Ukrainian government to retain control of the area, while the Ukrainian military refuses to withdrawal.

Ukraine and Russia entered into high-level peace talks on Oct. 16 with other European governments in an attempt to bring an end to the increasingly frozen conflict. Despite encouraging words from Russian President Vladimir Putin, the official spokesman of the Kremlin condemned Europe for its biased treatment towards Russia.

Fighting for control of the airport has continued almost unabated since May, when the Ukrainian government first attempted to dislodge separatists who had taken control of the facility. Months of back-and-forth shelling between Ukrainian and separatist forces have left the airport being heavily damaged.