Tears and accusations as Ukraine buries mine blast victims

Emotions ran high as mourners in east Ukraine on Friday laid to rest some of the 33 miners killed in an apparent gas blast at a notoriously dangerous coal mine in rebel-led Donetsk.
Some of the mourners directly blamed the mine management for cutting corners on safety measures as the accident victims were buried side-by-side in the heart of Ukraine's coal belt.
"Everybody knows that there is a lot of gas at Zasyadko (mine) and that ventilation is not the best," said retired miner Vasily.
"It only takes a spark," he added as weeping relatives surrounded the red velvet-lined open coffin of 30-year-old Dmitry Aleksandrov, his face scarred by the blast that took his life and that of 32 fellow miners.
Another miner, who has worked for 27 years at the nearby Oktyabrskaya coal mine, said he had initially wanted to work at Zasyadko "because it pays better" but reconsidered after it suffered a fire.
Eight miners were buried in a cemetery a few yards from the mine entrance -- in a plot which also holds the remains of the victims of back-to-back methane explosions that killed 153 miners in 2007.
The mine's manager read a short speech for each miner -- eulogising each as "a loyal and devoted friend" -- as relatives said their final farewells before the coffins were sealed.
But miners in the crowd were scathing of the corporate tribute, complaining of harsh working conditions and what they saw as the bosses' general disregard for safety.
"I accuse the mine management of being responsible for this tragedy," said Vladislav Aleksandrov, Dmitry's brother.
The thirty-three miners were killed when a blast ripped through the shaft early Wednesday.
Despite both the Ukraine authorities and pro-Russia rebels backing a February ceasefire deal rebel authorities in Donetsk refused help from Ukrainian authorities in dealing with the mine emergency.
Officials from the self-proclaimed rebel Donetsk People's Republic claimed they had asked the owners of the mine -- which lies a few kilometres from the frontline -- to close the facility a month earlier because of deteriorating working conditions.
Independent mining labour unions linked the safety situation to the conflict with Kiev.
Many rescue workers and other technical staff have left since the rebels seized control of the region, two union leaders told AFP.  
"They should have degassed the mine a long time ago," said Vladislav Aleksandrov. "My brother warned two weeks ago that this would happen. The management tried to lie to us and deceive us but miners know the truth."
The Zasyadko mine is owned by octogenarian Ukrainian lawmaker Yukhim Zvyagilskiy, a former ally of ousted president Viktor Yanukovych.
Despite being directly in the line of fire in a conflict that has killed over 6,000 people since April 2014, the mine didn't cease operations.
"It's always miners who pay," retired miner Vasily said bitterly as he watched another truck laden with coal drive past.