LUGANSK, February 28. /TASS/. The Ukrainian Armed Forces shelled nine settlements in the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) 16 times in the past 24 hours, the LPR mission to the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC), said in a statement on Telegram on Monday.

"The Ukrainian Armed Forces’ 16 shelling attacks on nine of the republic’s settlements were recorded," the statement reads. The attacks destroyed a home in the town of Pervomaisk, the mission added.

Tensions escalated along the line of contact in Donbass on February 17. The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics reported the heaviest shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in months, which caused civilian casualties and damaged civilian infrastructure facilities. Shelling attacks are still going on.

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance were signed with their leaders. On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation based on a request from the heads of the Donbass republics. The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans to occupy Ukrainian territories. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported later that the Russian Armed Forces were not delivering strikes against Ukrainian cities. The ministry emphasized that the Ukrainian military infrastructure was being destroyed by precision weapons and there was no threat to civilians.