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Mine kills three children in rebel-held east Ukraine

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AFP Kiev
Last Updated : Sep 30 2018 | 6:35 PM IST

Three children were killed and another injured Sunday in a landmine blast in rebel-held eastern Ukraine, which remains littered with explosives left behind by the four-year war.

The explosion happened in the industrial frontline city of Gorlivka, 30 kilometres north of the rebel area's de facto capital Donetsk, separatist "defence minister" Eduard Basurin told AFP.

The wounded child was hospitalised, he added.

The blast was the latest incident in a string of deadly explosions to hit the unrecognised Russian-backed republic over the past few weeks.

On Saturday, three people were injured in an explosion in Donetsk, including a candidate for the post of the self-proclaimed republic's leader.

In August, the head of the Donetsk People's Republic, Alexander Zakharchenko died in a bombing at a cafe in broad daylight.

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More than 10,000 people have been killed since the rebel insurgency broke out in the eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions in April 2014 following Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

Ukraine and its Western allies have accused Russia of funnelling troops and arms across the border, but Moscow has denied the claims despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

A series of truce agreements have helped to reduce the fighting, although sporadic clashes continue and both military and civilians remain in constant danger from landmines.

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First Published: Sep 30 2018 | 6:35 PM IST

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