Donetsk, Apr 18 - DAN. Three DPR service members were killed, 14 injured over the past day, DPR Defence's deputy chief of staff Eduard Basurin said.

"We are saddened to report that three defenders of the DPR independence were killed on duty," he said.

Basurin added that 14 other service members had been injured.

He expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased. 

Russia started a special military operation to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine on February 24. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the decision was made after the DPR and LPR Heads addressed him asking for help. The Russian leader said that Moscow is not planning to occupy Ukrainian territory, the only goal is to protect people who have been continuously shelled and subjected to other forms of genocide by Ukraine for eight years. *ot