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Ukrainian Armed Forces attempt to attack positions of LPR — People's Militia

At around 5 am, troops of the 79th Airborne Assault Brigade attempted to attack the positions of the people's militia in the area of the settlement of Pionerskoye, Ivan Filiponenko said

LUGANSK, February 20. /TASS/. The Armed Forces of Ukraine attempted to attack the positions of the people's militia of the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR), the official representative of the People's Militia of the LPR Ivan Filiponenko said on Sunday.

"At around 5 am (same as Moscow time - TASS) on February 20, troops of the 79th Airborne Assault Brigade attempted to attack the positions of the people's militia in the area of the settlement of Pionerskoye with the crossing of the Seversky Donets River. As a result of the clash, the enemy suffered losses and retreated," he said.

"The unlawful actions of the Ukrainian armed forces led to the destruction of five residential buildings and casualties among the civilian population. Additional information is being specified," Filiponenko informed.

The situation along the contact line in eastern Ukraine took a turn for the worse on the morning of February 17. The Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics reported some of the most intensive shelling by Kiev forces in recent months. The shelling damaged some civilian facilities.

On Friday, the leaders of the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics announced the evacuation of the republics’ inhabitants to Russia, citing the increasing threat of hostilities.

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