Putin called the difficult situation in the LPR

"It's no secret that the situation in the Lugansk People's Republic remains very difficult," TASS quoted the Russian leader as saying.

Putin stressed that the priority issue is to ensure the safety of the people living there.

Early on the morning of December 17, it became known that the Ukrainian military fired three rockets from the HIMARS MLRS at the village of Shchastia in the LPR.

Three people were killed in the attack.