Almost 49,000 Lugansk People’s Republic residents have crossed the border with Russia since February 18 evening, the LPR Territorial Defence Headquarters reported.
“Overall, 48,808 people crossed the border between the LPR and Russia from 19:00, February 18 to 08:00, February 22, including 12,324 children,” the report said.
As of 18:00, February 21, nearly 45,000 LPR residents had entered Russia since February 18 evening.
LPR Head Leonid Pasechnik said that Ukrainian forces were planning not only provocations on the contact line but also a breakthough deep into the Republic’s territory. In this connection, he urged the LPR population to leave for Russia as soon as possible, and ordered district administration officials to organize the evacuation.
Kiev forces violated the ceasefire in the LPR responsibility zone 65 times over the past 24 hours, 63 times on February 20, 49 times on February 19, 31 times on February 18 and 29 times on February 17..
The Ukrainian government launched the so-called anti-terrorist operation against Donbass in April 2014. The members of the Contact Group have announced ceasefire more than 20 times since the autumn of 2014. Kiev forces regularly violated the truce opening fire with large caliber artillery, mortars and tank guns which were to have been withdrawn in accordance with the Minsk agreements. *i*t
