Russian shelling kills six in eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk – officials

KYIV (Reuters) -Six people were killed in Sloviansk on Sunday after the eastern Ukrainian city was hit by powerful shelling from Russian multiple rocket launchers (MLRS), local officials said.

The attack was the worst shelling to hit the front line city recently and caused nearly 15 fires, Mayor Vadym Lyakh wrote on Telegram. The city is in the industrial Donetsk region that Russia is trying to capture..

Donetsk regional administration spokeswoman Tetiana Ihnatchenko told Ukraine’s public news network that 15 people had been wounded in the attack.

Ihnatchenko also said the neighbouring city of Kramatorsk had been hit by MLRS fire, destroying a hotel.

Kramatorsk’s mayor Oleksandr Honcharenko wrote on Facebook on Sunday evening that the city had once again been hit with what appeared to be MLRS fire.

(Reporting by Valentyn Ogirenko and Max Hunder; writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Toby Chopra, Alexandra Hudson)