Kiev, April 4 (IANS): The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has said that eastern Ukrainians are suffering from a 'humanitarian catastrophe' due to the impact of the ongoing conflict.

"A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in eastern Ukraine right before our eyes," Xinhua quoted Michael Bociurkiw, a spokesperson for the OSCE monitoring mission to Ukraine as saying on Friday.

Many people living in Luhansk and Donetsk regions are suffering from medicine shortages and have no proper access to healthcare due to the damage to the medical infrastructure caused by the conflict, the official said.

The official said the violence had pushed many youngsters, especially those living in the rural areas, out of schools and kindergarten.

"Many children, who stayed in the region, remain in a state of shock. They have no where to play and no where to study," the spokesman said.

Much of eastern Ukraine's infrastructure, including educational and healthcare establishments, has been either destroyed or severely damaged due to the deadly conflict going on since last year and which has claimed over 6,000 lives.