In the area of the Joint Forces Operation on March 18, the armed formations of the Russian Federation violated the ceasefire 8 times, - the JFO headquarters reported. The enemy fired at our positions from 120 mm and 82 mm mortars banned by the Minsk agreements, grenade launchers of various systems, heavy machine guns and small arms. The Joint Forces Operation units, which are defending, used the available weapons and gave the Russian armed forces an adequate response. There are no casualties among the Joint Forces members as a result of the enemy shelling.
Leader of the "DNR" Denis Pushilin ordered to completely close the traffic through the demarcation line from CADO from 00:00 on March 21. The passage of people through the control points on the demarcation line controlled by the "DNR" militants will be completely suspended "to prevent the spread of coronavirus" in CADO. At the same time, Pushilin warned that the residents of CADO in the Ukraine-controlled territory still have time to return home. All returnees will be sent under medical supervision.
There were outright bandits and murderers, who committed crimes against civilians, among the so-called "DNR militias" in 2014. This fact was acknowledged by creator of the terrorist Vostok Battalion Alexander Khodakovsky in an interview with one of the separatist media. "The fighters at the checkpoint could stop the civilian car in order to take possession of it, shoot three civilians in the back of the head", - Khodakovsky said. Communicating with the journalist, he demonstrated a well-made emblem of the fake "DNR". "Its author was killed by the same militias with the purpose of robbery… This man was quite talented, he did a lot with his own hands… He was killed", - Khodakovsky acknowledged. At the same time, he stated that the involvement of criminals in the ranks of fighters for the "independence" of Donbass at that time was "justified".
Russia banned the entry into its territory for residents of the occupied part of Donetsk and Luhansk oblast, an exception is made for those who have a passport of the Russian Federation. This was reported by separatist media with reference to the border control of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation in the Rostov oblast. The restrictions were introduced by the Russian party "in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus". "Entry into the Russian Federation for this category of citizens (citizens of Ukraine - OstroV) is temporarily restricted. At the same time, if the residents of the region have Russian passports, then, as citizens of the Russian Federation, they can enter the country", - the department noted.
Parents of schoolchildren living in the occupied part of Donetsk oblast (CADO) were outraged that the school administrations make the decision to suspend the educational process in connection with the spread of coronavirus. They wrote this on social networks. It was earlier reported that the occupation authorities in CADO intend to enforce quarantine in schools and universities for two weeks - from March 18 to April 1, but the so-called "Ministry of Education" shifted the responsibility onto the school administrations. At the same time, if the parents do not want the child to go to school, they can write an application on the providing of opportunity to attend the institution freely. This decision provoked indignation among the parents (spelling and punctuation of the authors were preserved): "The class teacher called yesterday at 16:00 and quarantined the school from 18.03, then called back at 22:07 and said that the management changed its mind and the children were studying. The question is: why to issue decrees that everyone interprets in his/her own way?!", "The class teacher send us SMS at 5-30 that the quarantine was canceled (who saw it at that time?). I went to school, carried the application, and the teacher, who is now on the replacement, did not even know that the quarantine was canceled. Children came (about 12 people), waiting for the teacher, she came in a hurry and was in shock", "We were informed that there would be no quarantine at 6.40))", "We were informed at at 6.50… ", "4 people came to our class", "The application is good, but then you need to take a certificate for every missing day…".
Bus flights from occupied Luhansk to Russia, scheduled for March 18, were canceled by the carriers themselves, separatist media wrote. According to the online desk of the bus station, flights from Luhansk to Rostov-on-Don, Millerovo, Voronezh, Moscow and Novorossiysk were canceled on March 18. "Carriers canceled the flights, we do not know the reason. The Luhansk bus station has no effect on this, it is determined by the carriers themselves with the transportation customer", - was stated at the bus station.
The so-called "Ministry of State Security of the LNR" announced termination of passes of passenger buses with registration in the "LNR" through automobile checkpoints on the border with the Russian Federation, separatist media wrote. "In case of changes in the procedure for citizens to pass through the state border of the LNR with the Russian Federation, it will be additionally announced", - the message said.