DONETSK, April 6. /TASS/. Nine populated areas of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) were shelled by the Ukrainian armed forces on Tuesday, Deputy Chief of the DPR People's Militia Eduard Basurin said in a statement.
"Since the beginning of Tuesday, the adversary fired over 100 shells and mortar rounds, using 122mm multiple-launch rocket systems BM-21 Grad, 122mm artillery cannons and 120mm mortars. Territories in nine populated areas of the republic came under attack," the people’s militia press service quoted Basurin’s statement in its Telegram channel.
According to Basurin, one civilian was injured as a result. 15 houses and three infrastructure facilities were damaged in the reported period.
The situation on the line of contact in Donbass escalated on February 17. The DPR and LPR reported the most intense shelling from Ukraine in recent months. On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his recognition of the DPR and LPR’s sovereignty. Russia recognized the republics within the borders that have been established by their constitutions (the administrative borders of Donetsk and Lugansk regions at the beginning of 2014).
Vladimir Putin on February 24, in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics, made a decision to conduct a special military operation. The DPR and LPR began an operation to liberate their territories, which were under Kiev's control.