The Lugansk People’s Republic People’s Militia press service reported that two Ukrainian army Bayraktar TB2 drones have been shot down in the Schastye area. “Two Bayraktars have been downed outside the Schastye settlement,” the report said. On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Puitin announced a special military operation in Donbass to protect residents of the region from Ukrainian aggression and called on Ukrainian army servicemen to leave the combat zone. Earlier, the Heads of the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin requested Russian President Vladimir Putin to provide military assistance. Kiev forces violated the ceasefire 177 times on February 23, 144 times on February 22, 65 times on February 21, 63 times on February 20, 49 times on February 19, 31 times on February 18 and 29 times on February 17. The Ukrainian government launched the so-called anti-terrorist operation against Donbass in April 2014.  The members of the Contact Group have announced ceasefire more than 20 times since the autumn of 2014. Kiev forces regularly violated the truce, opening fire with large calibre artillery, mortars and tank guns which were to have been withdrawn from the contact line under the accords. *i*t