Kiev, Jan 26 (IANS/EFE): At least seven Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 24 others injured during clashes with pro-Russian separatist militias, Ukrainian Armed Forces spokesman Vladislav Seleznev said Monday.

Over the past 24 hours, separatists launched 115 attacks against the positions of the government troops, according to the command of the Ukrainian forces.

In a related development, the Mariupol City Council extended Monday the mourning period for 30 civilians who died Sunday in an artillery attack in a suburb of the eastern Ukrainian city.

Kiev authorities blamed the attack that also left 100 people injured on the pro-Russian militias, which had announced shortly beforehand the beginning of a major offensive throughout Ukraine.

The Ukrainian government accusations were supported by a special mission of observers who went to the scene and found that the attack was carried out with missile launchers fired from areas controlled by the pro-Russians.