Escalation in Donbas heightened: Militants attack more than 20 Kyiv-controlled settlements

Since the beginning of February 17, 34 ceasefire violations have been recorded in Donbas. As a result of the shelling, two Ukrainian soldiers were injured. It is reported by the Joint Forces Operation headquarters.

The militants used artillery of 122 mm caliber, mortars of 120 mm caliber, and mounted anti-tank grenade launchers to attack the Kyiv-controlled settlements and Ukraine’s Armed Forces positions. More than 20 settlements along the contact line were targeted, Ukraine’s side reported.

Two Ukrainian servicemen, as well as two civilians, get injured as a result of the hostile attack. The servicemen were hospitalized, their condition was moderate. Two civilians were wounded as a result of shelling by the Russian occupation forces.

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February 17, the situation in the Donbas conflict area worsened after a relative lull. As reported earlier, Russia-backed militants shelled a number of civilian facilities, including a school and a kindergarten. Russian occupation troops fired Stanytsia Luhanska, a Kyiv-controlled settlement in the Luhansk region, with heavy artillery weapons. The shells hit the building of a kindergarten. Two civilians were injured. Local train station, as well as locomotive depot came under shelling too. The station and depot workers were not injured. One diesel locomotive was damaged. Depot buildings were targeted as well.

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Read also: Russia-backed militants shelled kindergarten in Luhansk region leaving wounded, civilians evacuated

Russian occupation forces targeted a lyceum in the village of Vrubivka in the Luhansk region (territory is controlled by Kyiv). During the class, 30 students were forced to hide in a school basement. 70 apartments in high-rise buildings and 96 private houses are left without gas supply, as the hostile forces fired with 122-mm mortars, prohibited by the Minsk agreements.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said the alliance is concerned that Russia is “trying to stage a pretext for an armed attack against Ukraine.”

Read also: Russia-backed militants shelled kindergarten in Luhansk region leaving wounded, civilians evacuated