Intense shelling has rocked the area around the train station in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, a reporter at the scene says.
Insurgent fighters had closed off the roads in the area on the edge of the city and terrified civilians were fleeing the fighting in minibuses and on foot.
A rebel fighter said that Ukrainian government troops had attacked their positions close to the transport hub at around 10am local time.
"They came within about two kilometres of the station," insurgent gunman Volodya said.
Local authorities warned residents in the area not to go outside or leave the confines of their homes and said the fighting had set a market ablaze close to the station.
Sporadic clashes have taken place around the separatist bastion as both sides have ignored calls for a ceasefire following Thursday's downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in rebel-held territory about 60 kilometres from Donetsk.
Ukrainian soldiers have maintained a foothold at the city's airport, close to the train station, since a fierce battle gutted the modern terminal building in May.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko later said he had ordered government forces to halt fire in a 40km area around the crash site of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.
"I have given an order: immediately within a 40 kilometre radius around the disaster site Ukrainian troops must not conduct operations and must not open fire," Poroshenko was quoted as telling journalists by the Interfax Ukraine news agency.
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