Two violations of the ceasefire were recorded in the area of the Joint Forces Operation on February 18, - the JFO headquarters reported. The armed formations of the Russian Federation opened fire on our positions from a large-caliber machine gun in the area of responsibility of the North tactical force near the settlement of Pivdenne. The Russian occupation troops were firing aimed fire from a hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher and small arms and sniper weapons not far from Shumy. Ukrainian soldiers returned fire to the enemy shelling. There are no combat losses among our defenders.
Puppet authorities of CADLO were forced to admit that the repeatedly promised entry of the occupied Donbas into Russia would not happen. This follows from the message of the so-called "DNR delegation" in the Trilateral Contact Group. The occupiers were forced to make such a statement in response to the speech at the TCG meeting by head of the Ukrainian delegation Leonid Kravchuk, who asked the Russian side and the representatives of CADLO controlled by it, how, in line with the Minsk agreements, to consider the "Russian Donbass" directive, proclaiming the occupation of the entire territory of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and the creation of "Russian national states" there.
168 new cases of coronavirus infection were detected in the occupied territory of Donetsk oblast over the day. This was reported by the fake "DNR Ministry of Health". In addition, eight deaths have been reported. In total, 23 224 cases of coronavirus disease were confirmed in CADO as of February 18, 5 011 are being treated, 1 964 people died. The mortality rate is still at an extremely high level of 8.5%. 58 cases of "usual" pneumonia were also detected over the day, five cases more than in the previous day. Of these, 38 patients were hospitalized. A total of 987 patients with pneumonia are being treated, of which 463 are on oxygen support (+15 over the day).
Doctors have registered 2 916 cases of coronavirus infection in the occupied territory of the Luhansk oblast since the beginning of the pandemic, separatist media wrote. Two deaths over the day were also reported.
The centralized water supply has been suspended in a number of settlements of the occupied territory of Donetsk oblast. This was reported by the so-called "Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the DNR". The water was turned off for the period of repair work. So, residents of Horlivka, where a water pipe with a diameter of 700 mm is being repaired, were left without water supply. An accident is being liquidated on a water pipe with a diameter of 100 mm in Khartsyzk. An accident is being eliminated at a water pipe with a diameter of 110 mm in the village of Lysyche of the Amvrosiivska district, as a result of which residents of this settlement remain without water supply.
Leader of the so-called "DNR" Denis Pushilin ordered to issue food festive sets to veterans of the Second World War and the war in Afghanistan in connection with the memorable days. This was said in his "decree". The category of beneficiaries includes mainly combatants in World War II 1941-1945, as well as veterans of the Afghan war. According to the decree of the "DNR" leader, the "festive set" in a plastic bag should include 2 packs of sugar, 6 cans of canned fish and meat, 100 grams and 200 grams of tea, cereals, 2 bottles of sunflower oil and 2 cans of condensed milk. In addition, according to the occupation authorities, the veterans deserve a little less than three kilograms of pasta and 4 cans of canned peas and corn.