DHAKA: The downing of Malaysia Airlines jet MH17 in eastern Ukraine may constitute a “war crime”, the UN human rights chief Navi Pillay says.

Ukraine and Western governments believe pro-Russian rebels shot down MH17, using a missile system supplied by Russia. All 298 people on board - most of them Dutch - died.

Moscow and the rebels have blamed Ukrainian forces for the plane crash.

Dutch and Australian police are reported to be heading for the site.

Heavy fighting in the area prevented the police going there earlier. They want to help secure the huge crash site - in rebel-held territory - so that plane wreckage and human remains can be examined by international crash experts.

Most of the bodies have been removed, many of them repatriated to the Netherlands.

The Ukrainian army is trying to take control of two main roads, which the government in Kiev believes to be vital supply lines from Russia for rebel forces in Donetsk.

In the past 24 hours there has been heavy shelling in the city of Horlivka, where several civilians were killed.

In the city of Donetsk at least three people died in shelling too, the municipal authorities say.

BDST: 1515 HRS, JUL 28, 2014