LUGANSK, February 19. /TASS/. Head of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic Leonid Pasechnik has ordered general mobilization.

"General mobilization shall be announced on the territory of the Lugansk People’s Republic," he said in a decree published online. "The People’s Council of the LPR, the LPR government shall be immediately notified about the announcement of mobilization".

The decree said the mobilization aims to create conditions for repelling an aggression against the LPR by Ukraine. It orders full battle readiness for the People’s Militia and other military units. The republic also prohibited men aged 18 through 55 from leaving the region.

Donetsk People’s Republic

Head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic Denis Pushilin has ordered general mobilization.

"I’m urging fellow citizens who are in the reserve to report to military conscription offices," he said in a video address on Saturday. "I have signed a decree on general mobilization today.".

"We will protect Donbass and all Russian people," he said.

Pushilin also ordered the government to shift the economy to work in wartime conditions, according to the decree.

The DPR legislature on Saturday approved the mobilization, which put the decree in effect.

The situation along the contact line in Donbass took a turn for the worse on Thursday morning. The DPR and LPR reported some of the most intensive shelling by Ukraine’s armed forces in recent months. There have been no reports of deaths but one civilian was injured and the shelling damaged some civilian facilities. Ukrainian units shelled more than 10 population centers in the Donbass republics overnight.