Inmates escape as shell hits jail in Ukraine's Donetsk

At least one prison inmate was killed and 106 others escaped from a jail in Ukraine's troubled eastern city of Donetsk after the prison was hit by a shell, authorities said Monday.

The press service of Donetsk City Council said the mass jailbreak came following a fierce riot in the jail late Sunday, which erupted after a mortar shell struck the jail, Xinhua reported.

At least 18 prisoners were injured during the attack, with three of them suffering serious wounds, the press service said in a statement.

Some of the escapees were recaptured by police, the press service said, without giving further details.

For over three months, Donetsk has been one of the epicentres of fighting between Ukrainian forces and pro-independence insurgents. As a result of the confrontation, private and civilian infrastructure in the city was largely destroyed.

On Sunday, media reports said that the Azov Battalion, a pro-government volunteer armed group, launched "heavy offensive" to retake control over Donetsk and force insurgents out of the city.