MOSCOW, May 16. /TASS/. The Donetsk People’s Republic’s civilian casualties sustained since the beginning of the special operation stand at 640, the spokesman for the Donetsk people’s militia, Eduard Basurin, said on the Rossiya-24 round-the-clock television news channel on Monday.

"Since the beginning of the special military operation on the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic 640 civilians have been killed or injured. Of the 117 killed four are children. Another 42 minors were injured," he said.

Basurin added that more than 4,000 facilities of the social and housing stock were heavily damaged or totally destroyed.

"More people lose their lives every day. This can be seen in our republic every day," he added.

The situation on the engagement line in Donbass aggravated on February 17. The Donetsk and Lugansk republics said they had experienced the most intensive bombardments from Ukraine in several months. Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 21 declared the recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics in accordance with their constitutions within the borders that existed at the beginning of 2014. On February 24, Putin responded to a request for assistance from the leaders of the Donbass republics to launch a special military operation. The DPR and LPR began their own campaigns for the liberation of their territories remaining under Kiev’s control.