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Eighty people killed in shelling of LPR in past six months, mission reports

There are three children among the victims

LUGANSK, August 17./TASS/. Eighty people have been killed and 253 have been injured in the shelling of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) by Ukrainian troops since February 17, the LPR’s mission at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of ceasefire (JCCC) reported on Wednesday.

"Over this period of time, 333 civilians became victims of the aggression of Ukrainian armed units, of whom 80 people were killed and 253 were injured. Three children were killed and 25 received wounds as a result of the shelling," the mission said in a report.

The LPR has seen 1,053 shelling episodes since then. Over 10,000 munitions have been fired at the republic, including 88 rockets from HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems, it stressed.

"Overall, the enemy used more than 10,000 shells of different caliber, including Tochka-U tactical missiles (35 missiles) and American M142 HIMARS (88 rockets). Also, 2,207 shells were fired from multiple-launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, BM-27 Uragan, BM-30 Smerch)," the mission said.

As a result of the shelling, 195 civilian infrastructure facilities were damaged, it added.

The situation along the line of engagement in Donbass escalated on February 17. On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow was recognizing the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Russia signed agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with their leaders.

Putin announced on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics for assistance, he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine. The DPR and the LPR launched an operation to liberate their territories under Kiev’s control.

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