Updated

Officials in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine say 19 people have died in fighting between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists.

The regional administration said Wednesday on its website that 31 people were brought to hospitals with injuries over the previous 24 hours.

Shells hit apartment buildings in Donetsk, the regional capital, on Tuesday as Ukrainian troops pressed their offensive against the rebels. The government has retaken control of several towns in the region in recent days.

Donetsk, a city of about 1 million, is one of the chief centers for the rebels who have fought a five-month uprising that has left more than 1,100 people dead.