Donetsk (Ukraine), June 11 (IANS/EFE): Three civilians were killed on Thursday and four children were wounded in an attack allegedly carried out by the Ukrainian forces against a residential neighbourhood in the eastern Ukrainian city of Horlivka, according to pro-Russian separatist militias.

"Three people were killed by a shell. It also injured four children, one of whom is in a coma," the spokesman of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) said.

Meanwhile, the Azov volunteer battalion, which defends the Kiev-controlled positions in the restive town of Shyrokyne, located 20 km from Mariupol city, announced the death of one of its soldiers on Wednesday night amid clashes with pro-Russian separatists.

The rebels attacked the government positions for two hours with mortars and machine guns, according to Azov.

The Ukrainian military command reported a total of 35 assaults against its troops on Thursday at dawn along the demilitarised separation line between the warring parties.

The DPR, in turn, accused government forces of 38 violations of the ceasefire that went into effect in mid-February.

Hostilities between the government forces and the separatist militias resumed last week after a failed offensive launched by the rebels in Marinka village, 20 km west of Donetsk, the main insurgent stronghold.