Mine kills 3 children in east Ukraine

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

The explosion happened in the industrial frontline city of Gorlivka, 30 kilometers (18 miles) north of the rebel area's de facto capital Donetsk, separatist "defense minister" Eduard Basurin told AFP.

The wounded child, who was 10, was hospitalized, he added. Gorlivka mayor Ivan Prikhodko told AFP the children had gone for a walk.

"They found an abandoned house and were just looking for adventure," he said.

"We are constantly confronted (by the problem of mines) and I think it is something that will continue for some time," he added.

The blast was the latest in a string of deadly explosions to hit the unrecognized 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 daylight bombing at a cafe.

SS