At least 68 children were reportedly killed and 180 others injured since March last year as a result of conflict in eastern Ukraine, the UN Children's Fund ( UNICEF) said on Friday.

While no children were reportedly killed in the latest escalation near the town of Mariinka, west of Donetsk, there are anecdotal reports of children having been injured by heavy weapons fire.

But UNICEF is expecting that the actual number of child casualties to be considerably higher than reported as many areas remain inaccessible due to conflict.

"These figures represent the lives of real girls and boys devastated by the fighting in eastern Ukraine," said Giovanna Barberis, UNICEF representative to Ukraine. "With violence in the Donetsk region seemingly on the rise, the world must not forget the thousands of children still living in areas under conflict and how every bullet, mortar or shell fired is a threat to their very survival and wellbeing."

UNICEF and its partners are working to ensure the safety of children in eastern Ukraine, including the recent launch of a mine- risk education campaign to provide 500,000 children and their families with lifesaving information about the risks posed by landmines and explosives, said a press release issued here.

UNICEF is also providing psychosocial support to conflict- affected children through schools and community protection centers, reaching more than 20,000 boys and girls since the start of this year. UNICEF has provided safe drinking water to over 550,000 conflict-affected people in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine, now in its second year, has created a humanitarian crisis affecting more than 5 million people, including 1.7 million children. Nearly 1.3 million people have been internally displaced from their homes and communities in Ukraine, while health and education systems in affected areas remain under severe strain. More than 6,400 people, including at least 626 women and girls, have been killed.

"We are very worried that intensified fighting will lead to an increased number of child casualties and a worsening of the humanitarian crisis in the east," Barberis said. "Every effort should be made to keep children safe."

UNICEF is appealing for 55.8 million US dollars to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of children and families.