International observers hope to visit the crash site of the downed MH17 aircraft. Kyiv called a one-day pause in combat operations against the rebels to allow investigators to reach the site in the east of the country.

But media sources in Ukraine report that so far attempts to reach the area have been foiled by separatist militia.

It’s also reported Russian aviation experts have arrived in Kyiv ahead of a visit to the site where they will apparently work with international colleagues.

Interfax the Russian news agency said the experts intended to meet the head of the investigative commission and to handover all the materials that the chairman of the commission had previously asked for.

The teams will study the debris which is scattered across farmland after the plane was believed to have been shot down killing 298 people on board.