LUGANSK, May 3. /TASS/. Ukrainian armed forces fired over 50 heavy mines and missiles on the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), two civilians were killed, another two were wounded, the republic’s mission at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of ceasefire (JCCC) reported on Tuesday.

"On the part of Ukraine’s armed formations, five bombardments on the communities of Pervomaysk, Kalinovo, Stakhanov were registered with the use of BM-27 Uragan (four missiles) and BM-21 Grad (20 missiles) multiple-launch rocket systems, 152-mm and 122-mm artillery weapons (15 missiles), 120-mm caliber mortars (15 mines)," the statement said. "As a result of the shelling, one civilian was killed in Stakhanov and two people sustained wounds. Three residential buildings were damaged. In Pervomaysk, one civilian was killed, two residential buildings were damaged," the statement specified.

The situation at the Donbass engagement line flared up on February 17. The self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) reported the most massive bombardments by the Ukrainian armed forces over the past months. On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a decision to recognize the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. The treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual aid were signed with their leaders. On February 22, the State Duma and the Federation Council ratified both documents and Putin signed the respective laws on the same day. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in order to protect people "who have been suffering from abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years.".