DHAKA: A senior adviser to rebels in eastern Ukraine has confirmed that extrajudicial killings have been carried out ‘to prevent chaos’.

Igor Druz told the BBC such ‘executions’ sent an important signal to the rest of the rebel forces.

He also said Ukraine’s government was a ‘terrorist’ organisation, committing war crimes against civilians.

Meanwhile, forensic experts are carrying out a second day of work at the site of a crashed Malaysian plane.

Some 70 Dutch and Australian experts are scouring the vast crash site where Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashed after reportedly being brought down by a missile.

More than 1,500 people are believed to have been killed in the conflict which erupted in east Ukraine in April, after rebels declared independence from the new government in Kiev.

Russia, which annexed Ukraine’s Crimea region in March, has been accused of arming the rebels and has been targeted by US and EU sanctions. Russia denies the accusations.

BDST: 1942 HRS, AUG 02, 2014