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Five civilians killed in shelling by Ukrainian troops in DPR

According to the DPR territorial defense headquarters, one woman was wounded

DONETSK, May 20. /TASS/. Five civilians were killed in the settlement of Vladimirovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), which came under shelling by Ukrainian troops, the DPR territorial defense headquarters said on Friday.

"As a result of shelling by Ukrainian troops, five men were killed and one woman was wounded in Vladimirovka," it said.

Earlier in the day, the DPR reported the death of a civilian in Donetsk.

Following a dramatic deterioration of the situation in Donbass on February 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 21 announced a decision to recognize the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics within the boundaries of the administrative borders of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, as is committed to paper in their constitutions. The treaties of friendship, cooperation and mutual aid were signed with their leaders.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in response to a request for help by the heads of the Donbass republics. He stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories, but aimed to demilitarize and denazify the country. The republics began an operation to liberate their territories controlled by Kiev.

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