Ukraine says three civilians were killed and two others wounded when a minibus hit a land mine in the country’s east.

The blast took place on February 10 some 25 kilometers southwest of Donetsk when the minibus was leaving separatist-controlled territory.

Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Zadubinnyi said two civilians were killed at the scene and one more died on the way to a hospital.

According to preliminary information, he said, the bus driver ignored warning signs and drove out onto a field to overtake a queue of vehicles near a Ukrainian checkpoint.

Fighting between government forces and Russian-backed separatists has killed more than 9,000 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014.

A cease-fire agreement has helped to significantly reduce the violence, although sporadic clashes continue on the front line.

Based on reporting by AFP and TASS