KIEV, August 13 (RIA Novosti) -Today is the 11th day the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk is without electricity, water or communication services, in addition to problems with medical supplies, the city’s authorities said Wednesday.
“The situation in Luhansk remains critical. The city has no light, no water and mobile and landline telephones are down. There has been no electricity in the city for 11 days already...Yesterday, the regional center experienced gas shortages, but later it was fixed,” the statement said.
According to locals, the shelling in Luhansk is constant. Most stores are closed and only the most necessary food products are on shelves. The city is experiencing problems with medical supplies, as only a few drugstores continue to operate. No social benefits, pensions or salaries are being delivered. Food and fuel supplies to the city have been cut off.
Kiev has been conducting a military operation in eastern Ukraine, targeting Luhansk and Donetsk, where the citizens are unhappy with the February overturn of the political regime in April. Moscow sees Kiev’s operation as punitive and has called for the Ukrainian government to put an end to it.
In May, following regional referendums, both Luhansk and Donetsk proclaimed themselves people’s republics. Currently the two regions are experiencing an active phase of the military operation, as the border fights intensify.
