Interfax: Luhansk region authorities, LPR report clashes, shelling

KYIV. Dec 4 (Interfax) – Kyiv-controlled areas of the Luhansk region have been shelled 55 times in the past 24 hours, the press service of Luhansk region state administration head Hennadiy Moskal said on Thursday.

“The towns of Stanitsa Luhanska, Shchastya, Trekhizbenka, Chornukhyne, Zolote and Olkhove have been shelled. No local civilians were killed or wounded,” the press service reports.

Outbreaks of close combat using mortars and light weapons have occurred on the outskirts of Stanitsa Luhanska over the past day. Gas mains and heating pipes which have just been repaired have again been ruptured by mortar and artillery fire. Gas mains pressure has plummeted and some homes in the administrative center have no heating.

In spite of artillery and mortar shelling, all public utilities (heating, tap water, household gas and electricity) are operating normally in Shchastya and there are no contingencies there, he said.

The village of Trekhizbenka in the Novoaidarsky district continues to be shelled but power supply has been restored there, the press service said.

In turn, the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) reported that the Ukrainian artillery had shelled the town of Kirovsk thereby damaging public utilities and cutting off water and power supply.

“A water station reservoir was damaged in the artillery shelling of Kirovsk at 5:30 p.m. yesterday. Previously, damage was sustained to six pylons of a high-voltage power line. There is neither water nor power supply in the town now,” the LPR press service said in a report posted on the official website of the republic.

It is not possible to repair the damaged public utilities as the repairmen may come under Ukrainian gunfire, the press service said.

Tensions remain in Kirovsk, First LPR People’s Council deputy Alexander Shkitin said. Tap water supply is impossible because of the power outage and water is being brought to residential areas by trucks. There is no centralized heating system in the town. However, mini-boilers cannot run at their full capacity because of the absence of water.

“We are giving free food to the youngest Kirovsk residents, who are less than three years old. Humanitarian aid has also been received by the town hospital. Kindergartens and schools have suspended their operation,” the LPR press service quoted Shkitin as saying.