At least 12 people were killed in Russian attacks across eastern Ukraine. The attacks which took place on Saturday also saw rescuers in the city of Dnipro dug through rubble after a Russian strike ripped through a nine-story residential building, leaving one dead.

The attacks came as Russia continues to stretch out Ukrainian forces in several areas along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front. Russia has stepped up airstrikes in a bid to drain Ukraine's resources, often targeting energy facilities and other vital infrastructure.

The shelling of the front-line village of Niu-York in the Donetsk region also injured five people, AP reported.

The report said the Russian forces had shelled populated areas 13 times over the past 24 hours.

On the other hand at least seven people were killed while 10 others injured following an attack by Russian forces on Ukraine’s Vilniansk town. The attack which took place on Saturday included two children children among the dead.

Reports said Russian forces attacked the town of Vilniansk, outside the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia.

"Today the enemy carried out yet another dreadful terrorist act against the civilian population," Zaporizhzhia Governor Ivan Fedorov was quoted by Reuters news agency as having said in a video posted on the Telegram messaging act.

The report said the attack occurred in "the middle of the day, a non-working day, in the town centre, where people were out relaxing, where there were no military targets.”

The report quoting Fedorov said that infrastructure, a shop and residential buildings were damaged in the attack.