An artillery shell hit a hospital in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, on Wednesday, killing and wounding civilians.

The city administration said on its website the shell hit at 1200 local time and several school buildings had also suffered in the explosion.

According to some media reports, at least three people had been killed in the shelling. Other reports put the death toll at five or even 15.  

Bodies could be seen under blankets outside the building after the attack, the BBC reported from the scene. It said the hospital was being used as an outpatient clinic at the time of the attack and many of the injured were patients and staff.

With pro-Russian rebels trying to encircle the key railway hub of Debaltseve northeast of Donetsk, fighting in the area has intensified in recent days following last month’s  collapse of the Minsk ceasefire agreement.

The rebels said Ukrainian government forces were responsible for the shelling of the hospital but  the claim hasn’t been independently verified.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine has claimed at least 5,358 lives, according to the latest UN count.

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