Russia-Ukraine crisis: Explosion hits area near Donetsk airport

A loud explosion was reported on Monday in  Donetsk airport area controlled by self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) by Russian-backed separatists, Sputnik correspondent has reported from ground. blast was heard at a distance of several miles, and sirens were activated in Lugansk after explosion. Tensions in volatile eastern flank of Ukraine have risen dramatically in last two days due to intense artillery shelling at Ukrainian Army barrages across line of control. A vehicle explosion in Russian-backed separatist stronghold was also reported earlier which Washington labelled as a staged attack designed to stoke tensions in eastern Ukraine.

Footages circulated on Telegram from city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine showed an explosion in a parking lot and a military vehicle caught ablaze. DPR in a statement said that “a car was blown up in parking lot near Government House building. blast wave was heard by whole city. Ministry of Emergency Situations went to place of explosion."

Explosion in self-proclaimed republic of Donetsk tears through a combat truck. Hours later, two explosions in Lugansk, anor self-proclaimed Russian republic in Eastern Ukraine sets 2 pipelines on fire. [Credit: Twitter/@jcokechukwu]

Ukrainian forces blame Russian rebels for ceasefire violations, mortar shellings

While Ukrainian forces have blamed Russian rebels for ceasefire violations and breach of Minks agreement, Russia’s self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) has accused Ukraine’s service members of opening fire on border and launching multiple shelling that targeted a nursery school and injuring three people earlier. Ukraine’s Army reported that at least two Ukrainian soldiers were killed in heavy artillery attacks. 

Russian occupation forces earlier today conducted anor military provocation at line of contact in contentious Donbas region, Ukrainian Army said in a statement. ceasefire violation was carried out with an aim of falsely accusing Ukrainian service members of launching an offensive on Russian-backed separatists. “Russian aggressor opened heavy armament fire from settlement of Lobacheve targeting Luhansk,” stated Ukraine’s armed forces. 

Ukraine’s soldiers have been refraining from any aggressive acts that could possibly trigger a violent response, claimed Ukraine’s defense ministry. Russian-backed occupation forces continue to destroy civilian infrastructure on  temporarily occupied territories, as well as sporically shell civilian settlements soaring tensions in contested Donbas region, Ukraine’s Joint Forces command stressed.