In the area of the Joint Forces Operation on February 18, the enemy fired at the positions of our troops eight times, seven of them - using 122 mm artillery systems and 120 and 82 mm mortars with 94 shells and mines, - the JFO press center reported. In the zone of action of the Vostok operational-tactical grouping, the enemy fired at our strongholds four times: from 122 mm cannon artillery, anti-tank missile systems and large-caliber machine guns - in the area of the Lebedynske settlement; from 122 mm cannon artillery and, for the second time, 120 mm mortars and anti-tank grenade launchers - near the village of Vodiane; from the weapons of infantry combat vehicles and anti-tank grenade launchers - near the village of Opytne. In the zone of action of the Sievier operational-tactical grouping, the occupiers also carried out four shelling of the Joint Forces' positions: from 120 and 82 mm mortars in the area of Yekaterynivka settlement; twice - from 120 and 82 mm mortars - near Novotoshkivske urban-type settlement; from large-caliber machine guns - near Krymske settlement. Four soldiers of the Joint Forces were injured during the fighting.
The militants fired at the car of observation group of the Ukrainian party of the JCCC in the Travneve area on February 17, - the Joint Forces press center reported. "On Sunday, during the movement of the Svitlodarsk observation group of the Ukrainian party of the JCCC in the area of the Joint Forces Operation close to the contact line in the village of Travneve, the JCCC vehicle was attacked by a heavy anti-tank grenade launcher of the illegal armed formations. The shelling was carried out in the direction of Dolomitne-Travneve. The grenade fired by the militants hit the ground about one meter from the left side of the car with the JCCC logo. The damage of the car and injury of the people inside were avoided by a miracle", - the statement said.
In occupied Donetsk in the morning of February 18, three self-made shell-less devices, wrapped in copper foil, exploded. This was reported by the "representative office of the DNR" in the JCCC. It was noted that the explosions occurred 350 meters from the Park INN hotel, in which there were the OSCE SMM observers, and 150 meters from the so-called administrative buildings, where the occupation administration is located. No one was hurt by the explosions.
82 babies were born in Donetsk from February 11 to February 18: 35 boys and 47 girls. This was reported by the city occupation administration.
54 babies were born in Luhansk from February 11 to February 17: 23 boys and 31 girls. This was reported by the city occupation administration.