Kiev Troops Fire Mortars in Lugansk People’s Republic – Militia

A representative of the LPR people’s militia says that Kiev troops have opened fire in the Zhelobok area of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic in Ukraine's southeast.

LUGANSK (Sputnik) – Kiev troops have opened fire in the Zhelobok area of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) in Ukraine's southeast, a representative of the LPR people’s militia told Sputnik.

"At 21:05 from the direction of the Prichepilovka village in the direction of the Zhelobok village of the Slovianoserbsk district, Kiev forces opened fire from 82-mm caliber mortars," the representative said on Thursday.

He added that the Kiev forces opened fire about 10 times, although no immediate information was available regarding casualties or damages.

The LPR, as well as the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) in Ukraine’s southeast, was proclaimed after the 2014 coup in Ukraine. Residents of Ukraine’s southeastern areas refused to recognize the new Ukrainian authorities, which prompted Kiev to launch a military operation in the region.

According to UN data, over 10,000 people have lost their lives because of the internal conflict in Ukraine.