President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky called the shelling of a kindergarten in Stanytsia Luhanska a "big provocation" and stressed the importance of diplomats and the OSCE staying in Ukraine.

"The shelling of a kindergarten in Stanytsia Luhanska by pro-Russian forces is a big provocation. It's important that diplomats and the OSCE remain in Ukraine, their monitoring activities are an additional deterrent. We need an effective mechanism for recording all ceasefire violations," Zelensky said on Twitter on Thursday afternoon.

As reported, in Luhansk region on Thursday morning, as a result of the use of heavy artillery weapons by Russian mercenaries, shells hit a kindergarten in Stanytsia Luhanska. As a result of the shelling, two women and one man were wounded. In total, there were 20 children and 18 employees in the institution during the shelling, the Pivnich task force reported.