Rebels say have 'items', believed to be black boxes, in Ukraine's Donetsk

DONETSK Ukraine (Reuters) - A leader of separatists said on Sunday they were keeping what they presumed to be the black boxes from the downed Malaysian airliner in the eastern city of Donetsk, but would need experts to confirm that they were the plane's flight recorders.

Ukrainian officials had feared that the black boxes, which when opened could offer an insight into the last moments of the flight, may be handed over to Russia or tampered with by the rebels who Kiev says are trying to destroy evidence of their, and Moscow's, involvement in the downing of the plane.