Situation in Donbass Intensifies Significantly in the Last 24 Hours

Ukrainian forces continue to shell the territory of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, as reported by the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of the Ceasefire Regime in the representative office of the Luhansk People's Republic. This has been reported by 'RIA Novosti'.

"The situation along the contact line has significantly escalated over the past 24 hours. The adversary is attempting to escalate the conflict based on direct instructions from the political and military leadership in Kyiv," noted Yan Leshchenko, head of the People’s Militia of LPR, earlier.

He stated that since morning, Ukrainian forces have opened fire on five residential areas. Additionally, it has been announced in the DNR that the territory of the Republic has been shelled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Shots were fired in the direction of Mandrikino Avan on the outskirts of Donetsk.

Previously, the Armed Forces of Ukraine had also opened fire towards Horlivka, specifically targeting the Gagarin and Izotova mines on the outskirts of the city.

It is worth noting that the conflict in eastern Ukraine has been ongoing for nearly eight years, resulting in over 13,000 fatalities and approximately 44,000 injuries, according to UN data. De-escalation is being discussed during a meeting of the contact group in the capital of Belarus, based on the Minsk agreements.

The document stipulates the implementation of constitutional reforms, a ceasefire, and the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the contact line. Currently, Ukrainian authorities have concentrated a significant portion of their army near the self-proclaimed DNR and LNR borders, regularly shelling the militia, including with the use of prohibited equipment.