Tuesday results in the occupied territories of Donbas. The highlights
Seven ceasefire violations were recorded in the area of the Joint Forces Operation on February 23, - the JFO headquarters reported. The Russian occupation forces carried out aimed shelling of the Ukrainian positions from 82-caliber mortars and heavy anti-tank grenade launchers not far from the village of Zaitseve. One of our servicemen was killed and another soldier was wounded by shrapnel as a result of the shelling, one of our servicemen was killed and another soldier sustained shrapnel wounds. The enemy fired from 120-caliber mortars and heavy anti-tank grenade launchers near Krasnohorivka, and from heavy machine guns near Pisky. The armed formations of the Russian Federation opened fire towards the Ukrainian positions from heavy anti-tank grenade launchers in the area of Luhanske and Avdiivka and from automatic heavy grenade launchers not far from Hnutove. The occupiers delivered aimed fire from an automatic heavy grenade launcher and a large-caliber machine gun near Shumy. Ukrainian soldiers returned fire to the enemy shelling.
Russia deployed a new sniper unit to the occupied Donbas. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, the RF Armed Forces command continues to use the sections of the Russian-Ukrainian border in Donbas not controlled by Ukraine to maintain the combat capability of the task group of the Russian occupation forces. In particular, more than two thousand tons of fuel have been delivered from the Russian Federation to the temporarily occupied territory in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts since the beginning of February. "At the same time, the rotation of regular Russian officers in command positions of formations and units of the first and second army corps was carried out. In addition, a combined sniper unit of the Russian Armed Forces, armed with sniper complexes of various calibers of Russian and foreign production, arrived to strengthen the forward positions of the occupation forces", - the report said.
Former head of the MIA of Ukraine Vitaliy Zakharchenko stated that he was ready to lead the Russian "DNR" and "LNR" terrorists in the Donbas. He announced this to Russian propagandists from Russia Today. Zakharchenko stated that the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts must be united under the rule of militants, and he is ready to lead the united terrorist organization. "Yes, I am ready", - Zakharchenko said. When asked if he was ready for competition, Zakharchenko answered in the affirmative. He sees terrorist Denis Pushilin as a "competitor".
964 patients with "usual" pneumonia are being treated in the occupied part of the territory of Donetsk oblast, of which 481 are on oxygen support (+12 over the day). This was reported by the so-called "Ministry of Health of the DNR". 57 cases of pneumonia were detected during the day, which is 30 cases more than in the previous day. 36 patients were hospitalized. Let us note that the "DNR" occupiers refuse to associate cases of pneumonia with coronavirus infection. Studies on the COVID-19 disease were not carried out in CADO over the past day due to the fact that the laboratory was being sanitized. In total, 23 717 cases of COVID-19 infection were registered in the occupied territory of Donetsk region as of February 23, 5 320 patients are being treated, and 2 thousand - died.
A man died in a fire in a nine-story building in the Budonivskyi district of occupied Donetsk. This was reported by the fake "DNR Ministry of Emergency Situations". The incident occurred along the 230th Rifle Division Street. The man, born in 1983, died as a result of the fire. It was also reported about a fire in Amvrosiivka, along the 2nd Five-Year Plan Street. "The man, born in 1976, was injured as a result of the fire, his condition is satisfactory, he refused hospitalization. The fire completely destroyed the car", - the report said without specifying the details of the incident. In total, 14 fires occurred in CADO over the day: 6 - in Donetsk, 4 - in Makiivka, 2 - in Horlivka and one each in Chystiakove (formerly Torez) and Amvrosiivka.