LUGANSK, May 5. /TASS/. The Ukrainian Armed Forces have shelled the territory of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) 923 times since February 17, killing 24 civilians and leaving another 47 wounded, the LPR mission to the Joint Center for Ceasefire Control and Coordination said in a statement on Telegram on Thursday.
"The LPR mission to the center recorded 923 shelling attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the past 11 weeks, which involved heavy weapons, including multiple rocket launchers, artillery pieces and mortars," the statement reads.
Twenty-four civilians, including a child, have been killed in the LPR since February 17 and another 47 civilians, including four kids, have suffered wounds. As many as 981 homes in 24 settlements and 91 civilian infrastructure facilities have been damaged. "The enemy fired a total of 9,473 munitions, including seven Tochka-U missiles and 1,657 Grad, Uragan and Smerch missiles," the LPR mission specified.
Tensions escalated along the line of contact in Donbass on February 17. The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics reported the heaviest shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in months. On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance were signed with their leaders. On February 24, Putin announced a special military operation based on a request from the heads of the Donbass republics.