Aftermath of overnight shelling in key Ukrainian city

(9 Feb 2015) Heavy shelling around the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk overnight on Sunday killed two people, according to a rebel official. In neighbouring areas under government control, at least seven people were also killed on Sunday, according to the Donetsk region police chief. Meanwhile on Monday, an explosion and fire rocked a chemical plant outside Donetsk, with rebels claiming it was hit by government shelling. No casualties or damage were immediately reported from the blast, which was so powerful that it was heard as far as downtown Donetsk. An armed conflict between Russia-backed separatists and government forces has killed more than 5,300 people and displaced more than a million. The rebel mouthpiece Donetsk News Agency said on Monday that the chemical plant to the west of the city was hit by a Ukrainian artillery shell but the fire was put out and it posed no danger. The rebel stronghold of Donetsk lies in the middle of the Ukrainian industrial heartland, and explosions like this have long been feared. The leaders of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine aim to hold a summit on Wednesday to draw up a package of measures to breathe new life into a much-violated September peace plan for eastern Ukraine. Preparations for the summit will take place on Monday in Berlin, while rebel leaders, representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe are expected to meet on Tuesday. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...