Zelensky informs Michel about escalation in JFO area

“Had a phone conversation with European Council President Charles Michel in Mariupol. Informed about the security situation and today's provocative shelling, in particular in Stanytsia Luhanska. Thanked for the initiative of the donors' conference in support of Ukraine,” Zelensky posted on Twitter.

As the President’s Office informs, Zelensky reported a significant number of ceasefire violations by illegal armed formations, in particular, the shelling of a kindergarten in Stanytsia Luhanska this morning and called it a big provocation.

"This situation has once again proven that the evacuation of OSCE representatives and diplomats from Ukraine is not appropriate. It is important that diplomats and the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission stay in Ukraine. Monitoring activities are extremely important. This is an additional deterrent," Zelensky stressed.

According to the President, today the OSCE does not have enough resources to objectively record all the ceasefire violations that are taking place, including the current morning escalation.

The President of Ukraine and the President of the European Council mutually supported the position on the need to keep the missions in Ukraine and reaffirmed their commitment to political and diplomatic efforts aimed to unblock the peace process and restore stability.

The conversation took place ahead of a meeting of European Union leaders in Brussels chaired by the President of the European Council. In particular, Michel will discuss the information provided by the President of Ukraine with European leaders.

Zelensky thanked the European Council President for the constant dialogue and his efforts to consolidate the international support for Ukraine.

Michel reaffirmed the EU's strong and unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

Today, February 17, the occupiers have already violated the ceasefire 34 times, wounding a Ukrainian serviceman.

The enemy fired on Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk). Three employees of a kindergarten – two women and a man – were injured. The Kindrashivska-Nova locomotive depot and a locomotive were also damaged in the shelling.

In addition, the occupiers fired on the village of Vrubivka (72km west of Luhansk). The shells hit a school, damaged residential buildings, broken a high-pressure gas pipeline.

Near Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), Russian occupation forces opened fire on the villages of Staryi Aidar (20km north-west of Luhansk) and Lobacheve (17km north-west of Luhansk). In Staryi Aidar, a 110 kV power line was damaged.

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