A Russian missile strike killed 11 people and injured 10 in and around the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, the governor of the Ukrainian-controlled part of Donetsk region said.
Five of the dead were children. A UN official in Ukraine expressed horror at the incident.
Rescue efforts extended into the night. Pictures posted online by regional governor Vadym Filashkin showed teams sifting through piles of smouldering rubble in the dark as well as a burned-out vehicle.
Filashkin told Ukrainian television that Russian forces at about 3 p.m. engaged in “mass shelling” of Pokrovsk with S-300 missiles.
“As a result of this barbaric attack, 11 people died, including five children aged from three to 17 years,” he said.
“Ten people were injured. Rescue operations are continuing. Closer to morning we will have a better understanding of the final numbers of those who were injured.”
Filashkin had earlier said the main strike had targeted the town of Pokrovsk and nearby villages lying about 80 km (50 miles) from the Russian-held regional centre of Donetsk.
