OTTAWA, October 11. /TASS/. Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau discussed in a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky recent developments in Ukraine and a possible aid for the country on behalf of Ottawa, the press office of the Canadian premier said in a statement.

"The Prime Minister reiterated Canada’s strong ongoing support for Ukraine, including the continued provision of military, economic, and humanitarian aid," the statement reads adding that "Prime Minister [Trudeau] condemned in the strongest terms" Russian attacks on military command, energy and communications facilities in Ukraine on Monday.

"President Zelensky thanked Prime Minister Trudeau for Canada’s significant contributions to Ukraine, and the leaders agreed to stay in close and regular contact," the statement added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said at an urgent Security Council meeting on Monday that a massive strike had been inflicted on Ukrainian energy, military command and communications facilities and warned Kiev that if Ukraine tried to continue terrorist attacks in Russia, they would be met with a tough response.

On the morning of October 8, a truck exploded on the Crimean Bridge, collapsing two eastbound parts of its road section and subsequently setting ablaze a train of fuel tanks on a separate, adjacent rail portion of the bridge. As a result of the blast, three people were killed. A government commission chaired by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin was set up after the incident. Rail traffic has been restored on the bridge, which was also partly reopened for buses and automobiles.

Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine

The situation along the line of engagement in Donbass escalated on February 17. At that time, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) reported the worst wave of bombardments by the Ukrainian military, which damaged civilian infrastructure and caused civilian casualties.

On February 21, President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow would recognize the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Russia signed agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with their leaders. Moscow recognized the Donbass republic in accordance with the DPR and LPR constitutions within the boundaries of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions as of the beginning of 2014.

Russian President Putin announced on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republic for assistance he had decided to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine. The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories, noting that the operation was aimed at the denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine.

The DPR and the LPR launched an operation to liberate their territories under Kiev’s control.