Russian strikes in east Ukraine kill at least 12, Kyiv says

At least 12 people have been killed in strikes across eastern Ukraine, an official in Kyiv said Tuesday, nearly one month into Moscow's invasion.

"In the Donetsk region, Avdiivka was fired on by artillery and aircraft, the city was razed to the ground. Five civilians were killed and 19 were injured," Ukraine's ombudswoman, Lyudmyla Denisova, said in a statement.

She said the attack occurred late Monday.

Avdiivka in the east of Ukraine is adjacent to the de-facto capital of pro-Moscow separatists, who wrested control of two self-proclaimed republics in 2014.

In Lysychansk, 150 kilometres north of Donetsk, another Russian strike left two dead and three wounded, she said.

In the Kharkiv region, a Russian tank had targeted a civilian-marked car, killing three adults and a child, Denisova said.

And in Severodonetsk, one person was killed and around a dozen were wounded in a strike in front of a store, she added.

Ukraine has accused Russian troops of indiscriminately targeting medical facilities, residential areas, and bomb shelters since Moscow sent troops over the borders of its pro-Western neighbour on February 24.

Russia denies purposefully targeting civilians and has instead accused Ukrainian forces of using civilians as human shields.

Source: AFP