Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk has blamed Russia for the deaths of civilians, after a shell hit a bus stop in Donetsk on Thursday morning

"Today Russian terrorists once again committed a terrible act against humanity, and the Russian Federation bears responsibility for that," the premier said during an event to mark the Day of Unity of Ukraine on Thursday.

According to preliminary reports seven people were killed (mainly women) when the bus stop was shelled on Thursday morning.

The media have said that at least 13 people were killed and dozens were injured in the attack.

The Defense Ministry said that the shell originated from an area where no military action was taking place.

"The place, where the trolley bus has been shelled, is located at a distance of more than 15 kilometers from the place where the Ukrainian forces are deployed. None of the destructions have been registered in this area so far. All these facts show that terrorists shelled the passenger transport from the city's residential areas controlled by the illegal armed formations," said the report.