DONETSK, April 11. /TASS/. Nearly 4,500 civilians, including 134 children, have been killed in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) as a result of shelling by Ukrainian troops since February 17, 2022, the DPR’ mission to the Joint Control and Coordination Center (JCCC) for issues related to Ukraine’s war crimes said on Monday.
"As many as 4,483 people, including 134 children, have been killed," it said, adding that 4,320 more people, including 276 children, have been wounded.
According to the mission, as many as 109 people have been wounded by PMF-1 Lepestok antipersonnel mines dropped by Ukrainian troops onto DPR’s cities.
Over this period, a total of 10,359 houses and 2,528 civilian infrastructure facilities, including 140 medical and 514 educational establishments and 73 critical infrastructure facilities, have been either ruined or damaged.
Following a dramatic deterioration of the situation in Donbass on February 17, 2022 Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 21 announced a decision to recognize the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. The treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual aid were signed with their leaders. On February 24, 2022 Putin said he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in response to a request for help by the heads of the Donbass republics.