16:58 – The shelling of the kindergarten in eastern Ukraine was a “provocation” aimed at creating a pretext for Russian military action, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday. The AFP news agency informed about it. “The kindergarten was shelled and we know that it was an operation under a false flag, which is supposed to damage the reputation of Ukrainians, to create a pretext and to serve as a provocation, which will be followed by Russian military action,” Johnson told reporters.
16:00 – The danger of Russian invasion of Ukraine is very high. US President Joe Biden said this today before leaving for the US state of Ohio. According to him, everything indicates that Russia is ready to invade the neighboring country. According to Reuters, the head of the White House also pointed to information that Russia is conducting operations that are supposed to act as someone else’s action, thus creating a pretext for military action.
15:45 – The US commitment to NATO in Article 5 remains strong. “As President Biden said, if necessary, we will protect every inch of the territory of NATO member states.” This was stated by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III.
15:30 – NATO monitors the risk of possible Russian aggression very closely and intensively and increases its preparedness in response. At the meeting, we therefore assigned a task to the Alliance’s military authorities in order to further develop the possibilities for further strengthening the Alliance’s defense – including its eastern wing, of which Slovakia is a part. This was stated by the Minister of Defense of the Slovak Republic Jaroslav Naď.
15:20 – Lithuania claims that Russia can attack Ukraine at any time.
15:15 – Slovakia condemns any attacks on the civilian population in Ukraine and supports calls for EU unity in relation to tensions between Moscow and Kiev and for solidarity with Ukraine. This was stated by the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Eduard Heger after his arrival in Brussels for the EU-African Union summit, which was preceded by an extraordinary meeting of the leaders of the 27-member Union focused on tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
15:00 – Linda Thomas-Greenfield: “Our aim is to express the seriousness of the situation. There is evidence that Russia is heading for an immediate invasion. This is a crucial moment. Today’s Council should not distract us from this. It should focus on what is happening in Ukraine.”
Our goal is to convey the gravity of the situation. The evidence on the ground is that Russia is moving toward an imminent invasion. This is a crucial moment. Today’s Council meeting should not distract us from that. It should focus on what is happening right now in Ukraine.
– Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN) February 17, 2022
14:30 – Analyst Alex Kokcharov: “There have been unrest in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine. The cause has been the bombing of the territory by pro-Russian separatists operating in Donbas.”
14:05 – The Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov discussed the current security situation in Ukraine with a Georgian colleague (Juansher Burchuladze ed. Note) at a NATO summit. A common and coordinated response to Russian aggression is needed. I am glad that the Allies share this view in defending the basic principles of international security.
13:50 – The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, commented on Twitter as follows: “Strong and strong unity between the EU and NATO. Support for Ukraine. Firm and determined to defend our values.”
13:40 – According to the portal Observer, confirmed by local authorities, the enemy shot at Tsentralnaya, Pershotravneva and Yuvileyna streets mortars with a caliber of 122 mm. The Minsk Agreement prohibits this type of weapon.
13:30 – Map showing the bombing of Ukraine in the Luhansk region.
13:25 – Pro-Russian separatists have launched 29 attacks in war zone E in Ukraine in the last 24 hours. The fire spread across the front line. You can see a detailed report on the number of settled settlements and the weapons used in the attached link.
13:20 – The shelling of a kindergarten by pro-Russian forces at Luhansk Station is considered a great provocation. It is important that diplomats and the OSCE remain in Ukraine, and their monitoring activities are another deterrent. We need an effective mechanism to record all activities that violate existing ceasefire agreements.
13:05 – Zelenskyj reiterated that he was willing to meet Putin in any format.
12:50 – Woman injured in Maryinka during Russian-backed separatist shelling. The city is about 30 km from the front line Donbass. Ukraine is bombarded with relatively large missiles. The Kremlin already blames Ukraine for the provocation. Damage caused in the city of Vrubivka in Ukraine. The city is more than 40 km from the Luhansk Front Line.
12:35 – President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky had a phone call with European Council President Charles Michel. Zelenskyj informed about the security situation and today’s provocative shelling in the Luhanska Station. Subsequently, he thanked for the initiative of the “donors’ conference” in support of Ukraine.
12:03 – Russian troops shot at a school in the village of Vrubivka near Lysychansk. At 10:25 local time, the emergency services of the Popasna region received information that the village of Vrubivka is under fire.
11:30 – Russian-backed separatists open fire on the village of Vrubivka in the Luhansk region. Schools, houses and the local gas pipeline were damaged. As a result of the bombing, the windows at the school went down.
11:05 – Ukraine’s foreign minister has commented on the shelling of Luhansk Station, which is occupied by Russian separatists. “The roads are destroyed. We have already informed our allies. We need to condemn this serious violation of the Minsk Accords by Russia as a matter of urgency.”
10:50 – In the Popasna region (the town of Vrubivka), 70 flats and 96 houses remained without gas.
10:35 – A bullet hit a residential house on one of the streets. The pipeline exploded on site and the infrastructure was damaged.
10:25 – The shelling of the village Vrubivka was recorded. One of the bullets hit the lyceum. At the time of the shooting, there were 30 students and 14 employees in the building.
10:10 – Mária Zolkinová, a political analyst and expert on Ukrainian-Russian relations in eastern Ukraine, published her status on the social network. “Kindergarten in Luhanska Station right now. Direct artillery. There were children. Waiting for confirmation of injuries. Four children were to be among them.”
9:50 – No child was injured. “The bullet hit a music hall where it wasn’t taught,” said the mayor of the village Albert Zinchenko. Family members came for the children.
9:40 – According to preliminary information, three employees of the building were injured, according to the portal Military. Two educators and a janitor suffered injuries. They took them to the hospital, people are shocked.
9:10 – One of the shots hit the wall of the local kindergarten. At the time of the shooting, there were also children in the nursery.
9:00 – The inhabitants of the Luhanská Station were frightened by explosions and gunfire in the morning. Moscow-backed Russian separatists have begun bombing this part of Ukraine in a way that has kept them out of their way.