Russian forces launched an air strike on Kreminna, positional battles continue in Popasna and Rubizhne. The enemy is shelling exclusively residential areas, Lugansk Regional Military Administration Head Serhiy Haidai has said.

"Russian troops are firing exclusively at residential areas. They bombed Kreminna using aircraft. Positional battles in Popasna and Rubizhne are ongoing. Severodonetsk, Rubizhne, Popasna and Kreminna came under heavy enemy fire last night," he wrote on Facebook.

"The enemy continues to fire and assault operations. Russian troops carried out air and missile strikes in areas around Kreminna. The main efforts of the enemy focused on taking control of the settlements of Popasna and Rubizhne. But they have failed. They remain under the Ukrainian flag," Haidai said.

According to him, in Rubizhne and Severodonetsk, food and non-food stores are burning after the shelling.

"The Russians are doing this on purpose to leave people without the necessary food and hygiene products," Haidai said.

"In the regional center, Russian troops fired at old districts. High-rise buildings were damaged, and massive fires are in garages. Rubizhne's State Emergency Service employees responded to several damaged houses and evacuated five people to a safe place. In Kreminna, a two-story house was on fire. One person was rescued by emergency workers," he said.

He also added that the change in weather and shelling led to daily massive fires in open areas, setting hectares of dry grass ablaze.