Two Killed, Power Station Hit in Ukraine Violence

At least two people were killed Monday and a regional power station was knocked out of action after being damaged by shelling in Ukraine's pro-Russian separatist east.

Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said one soldier had died and seven were wounded across the eastern industrial war zone in the past 24 hours of clashes.

Local police chief Vyacheslav Abroskin said a civilian also died and a large fuel factory was heavily damaged by a rebel attack on Avdiivka -- a town lying about 15 kilometers (10 miles) north of the separatists' de facto capital Donetsk.

The pro-Kiev Donetsk regional administration said an important power station near the flashpoint town of Debaltseve was forced to shut down overnight because of another rebel attack.

Casualty tolls from the two sides showed at least four civilians being injured since Sunday afternoon.

More than 6,500 people have been killed since pro-Russian rebels launched their insurgency in April 2014, and a February truce agreement has failed to stop the fighting.