DONETSK, February 22. /TASS/. The Kiev forces deployed five Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile systems on its controlled territory in Donbass, Deputy Head of the People’s Militia of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Eduard Basurin said on Tuesday.
"On February 20, five Buk-M1 surface-to-air missile systems from the 223rd anti-aircraft missile regiment capable of striking aircraft at an altitude of up to 22 kilometers within a range of over 30 kilometers were observed to arrive and go on combat alert in the areas of the communities of Mangush, Novoaleksandrovka, Toretsk, Kramatorsk and Kamyshnoye of the Stanitsa Luganskaya district. However, the DPR people’s militia has no aircraft flying at these altitudes," he said.
The situation at the line of engagement in Donbass escalated on the morning of February 17. The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) reported the most massive bombardments by the Ukrainian military in recent months, which damaged civil infrastructure facilities.
On February 18, LPR and DPR Heads Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin announced evacuations of civilians from the territory of the republics into Russia over the mounting threat of hostilities. On February 19, the Donbass republics announced general mobilization.
On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced recognizing the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Russia signed agreements on friendship, cooperation, and mutual assistance with their leaders.