7 Ukrainian soldiers killed in Donetsk fighting

Kiev, Ukraine (CNN) -- Seven Ukrainian soldiers were killed by tank fire Monday at the airport in the flashpoint city of Donetsk, the country's counterterrorist operations press office said.

Nine other soldiers were injured in the clash, the office said.

In a separate incident, three civilians were killed and five injured in shelling overnight in Donetsk, the website of the city office said Monday.

Residential and administrative buildings were damaged as a result of artillery fire, according to the site, which described the situation as tense.

Ukrainian government forces have been fighting pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine for months.

Despite the ongoing violence in places such as Donetsk, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko insisted last week that a ceasefire signed with rebel leaders more than three weeks ago was holding.