Russian forces strike Sloviansk in eastern Donetsk

The pounding sounds of explosions were heard in Sloviansk on Monday, where several buildings were hit by Russian shells throughout the day.

Some of the city's few remaining residents gathered in the basement of an apartment building near downtown.

Evgeniy and his wife, who went to see if their daughter's apartment was damaged, waited in the basement while artillery shells rained down overhead.

"If it (the shelling) is far you don't really hear it, but today it's serious", Evgeniy said.

Sloviansk resident Tetyana joined Evgeniy and his wife in the shelter, shaking and trying to control her breath after running for cover.

"I was running, praying to God, I was shaking", she said.

Firefighters rushed to extinguish a fire in a nearby building as residents removed debris from the damaged apartments.

Russian and separatist forces are trying to take control of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, shelling it almost daily.

Authorities have urged residents to leave the region, but Tetyana, Evgeniy and others say fleeing is not an option for them.