DONETSK, April 16. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Armed Forces opened fire on Donetsk using the Grad multiple rocket launchers on Saturday, wounding five civilians, including two children, the mission of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) to the Joint Center for Ceasefire Control and Coordination (JCCC) said.

"Military experts of the DPR’s JCCC taskforce have confirmed the fact of shelling from Ukrainian positions near Georgievka with the use of BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers," the statement says.

According to the DPR mission, five civilians were wounded, including two children born in 2012 and 2006.

Tensions escalated along the contact line in Donbass on February 17. The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR respectively) reported the heaviest shelling by Ukraine in months. On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees on recognizing the DPR and LPR. Russia recognized the two republics within the administrative borders of Donetsk and Lugansk regions as they were at the beginning of 2014 stipulated in their constitutions.

On February 24, Putin launched a special military operation in Ukraine following a request for help from the leaders of two Donbass republics. The DPR and LPR mounted an operation to regain the areas that were controlled by Kiev.