Soldado ucraniano Donetsk

Russian occupation forces shell civilian objectives in the Donbass region after Putin’s recognition of the self-declared Popular Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence informs (UPDATED)

Latest update 23-02-2022 at 18:30 pm

The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine warns that recorded violations by the RF Armed Forces indicate that they are taking active combat training measures to create conditions for further escalation on the line of contact.

During the period from February 21 20:00 to February 23 2022 at 07:00 am, the Russian military forces conducted shellings of civilian objects in the settlements showed in the table below the map, all of them located in the Joint Forces Operation area (JFO) in the Donbass region. Of these attacks 81 were carried out by using weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements. This reported on 23rd February 2022 at 7:00 am the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. Besides the many dammages in civil buildings and other things two servicemen were killed and 12 injured, one Ukrainian servicemen received shrapnel wounds incompatible with life and nother one serviceman was injured, he is now in medical facility. Five servicemen suffered combat injuries.

map of Russian weapons and shellings_23_02_2022_at 1_00pm
Source of the information: Ministry of Defence of Ukraine

To the count included above this map, the Ministry adds in its latest communication the following information regarding shellings for the 23rd February: 15 ceasefire violations committed by the Russian occupational forces, 14 of which by using weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements.

Since the beginning of the week, a total of 300 units of military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces have been spotted. Of this total they were located yesterday alone a total of 161.

Ukraine_shellings and victims_23_02_2020 at 07_00 am
Source of the information: Ministry of Defence of Ukraine

The offficial communication assures that, despite the attacks the Joint Forces control the situation and is responding adequately to potential threats from the Russian and pro-russian forces.

Russian Federation troops hindering OSCE special monitoring missions

The work of the OSCE special monitoring missions in the temporarily occupied territories is regularly hindered by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

On February 21st, 7 bans on access to OSCE SMM patrols by the Russian Federation (RF) Armed Forces were detected in the following settlements: PETRIVSKE, YASYNUVATA, VASYLIVKA, KRUTA BALKA, STAROLASPA, KADIYIVKA, VOZNESENIVKA.

The RF Armed Forces also continue to obstruct the safe flights of the Mission’s UAVs. Eight flights of the UAVs (drones) were subjected to GPS signal interference, two times in SUKHODILSK and one time in SARTANA, KHERSONES, ZOLOTE-2, MYKOLAIVKA, LUHANSK, STANYTSIA LUHANSKA.

Dammages caused by Russian shellings of civil objectives

The offcial communication also pointed yesterday that fortunately, “no civil infrastructure was damaged and no civilians were killed or injured, but the information is continuously updating”. But unfortunately with the escalation of the bombings today the Defense Ministry of Ulraine informs that as of 08:00 am on February 23, 2022, as a result of enemy shelling, the following settlements were left without water: POPASNE, ZOLOTE-1, ZOLOTE-3.

Also 1940 electricity consumers are left without electricity. 5 settlements were completely de-energized: STARYI AIDAR, NOVOZVANIVKA, VYSKRIVA, VRUBIVKA, ORIKHOVE, PLUZHNE. And 3 settlements in part: SHCHASTIA, TRIOHZHIBENKA, TROITSKE. Emergency and recovery works are underway, assures the official update.

Ukrainian servicemen are supplying the settlements with drinking water and helping civilians to remedy the effects of heavy shelling by the Russian occupation forces.
The Joint Forces continue providing access to the JFO area to the humanitarian organizations that are rendering material, psychological, legal and patronage assistance to vulnerable segments of the population.

Ucrania_casa bombardeada rusos_Donbass
Casa en ruinas por los bombardeos de separatistas rusos y pro-rusos en la región de Donbass. Foto, Comando de las Fuerzas Conjuntas de Ucrania.

During the past five daysco onunting back from 21st February, 152 shelling of civilian objects in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions were reported with the following outcomes: 48 civilian buildings damaged; 4 educational establishments were destroyed; 2 cars and a garage were damaged; 1 objects of important infrastructure were damaged along with 1 religious object and 1 shop; 1 civilian was killed; 2 civilians were wounded and 3 civilians were contused.

“The Russian occupation forces continue shelling objects of civil infrastructure violating the Minsk agreements and the norms of International Humanitarian Law,” the official communication underscores.

Human victims

Following the information published by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, during the past day, February 21, 84 ceasefire violations have been recorded by the Russian occupation forces, 64 of which involved the use of weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements.

el mando de las fuerzas conjuntas ucranianas informa sobre el estado de la situacion en Donbass_22_02_2021
Portavoz del mando de las fuerzas militares conjuntas ucranianas.

As a result of the shelling, two Ukrainian servicemen received shrapnel wounds incompatible with life. Twelve servicemen received injuries of varying degrees of severity and are now in medical facilities. Six servicemen received combat injuries.

Alon the day, the Ukrainian Forces recorded 9 ceasefire violations by using weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements.
The Russian army and separatist forces used 122mm artillery systems, 120mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems and heavy machine guns.

To this count the Ministry adds in its latest communication the following information regarding shellings for the 23rd February: 15 ceasefire violations committed by the Russian occupational forces, 14 of which by using weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements.

Crime related and boundary crossing situation

The crime-related situation in the Joint Forces Operation area was considered relatively stable yesterday. There’s no update on this field today.
Over the course of the last 24 hours the police units, engaged in the Joint Forces Operation, inspected 3607 vehicles and 3832 individuals. Moreover, the police units were able to identify 37 cases of misdemeanor and investigate 16 offenses.

408 individuals passed through the entry-exit checkpoints going to the occupied territory and 869 individuals passed to return to the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government.

In order to implement the security measures aimed at protecting the civilian population, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine pyrotechnic units of the Joint Forces demined almost 2 hectares of land and transferred for disposal 2 items of explosive ordnance.

The Misintry of Defence of Ukraine assures that the Joint Forces units continue to carry out assigned missions to defeat and deterring the armed forces of the Russian Federation and that the Armed Forces of Ukraine open fire only when the actions of the Russian occupational forces threaten to the lives and health of the Ukrainian defenders and civilians.

Image over the headline.- One of the Ukrainian soldiers stationed in Donetsk. Photography, Presidency of Ukraine.

Related Eastwind links (English edition):

Biden sanctions the company in charge of building Nord Stream 2, while Russia is ready to meet request for military support by the leaders of Donetsk and Lugansk

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Ukraine crisis.- A coordianted pool of economic sanctions, relocation of troops and no further diplomatic meetings till Russia withdarws their war effectives, the answer of US President, Joe Biden

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Related Eastwind links (Spanish edition):

Putin reconoce la soberanía de las Repúblicas de Donetsk y Lugansk y envía tropas para pacificar la zona

Albares llama a la unidad de todos los partidos políticos en la resolución de un conflicto que puede costar caro y no sólo a Ucrania

Related external links:

Update by the command of the Ukrainian joint forces on 23rd-2-2022 13:50 pm

Update by the command of the Ukrainian joint forces (video) 22nd-2-2022 10:52 am

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