Desertions among Russian military increase, AFU repel over 30 Russian attacks – General Staff

The Ukrainian Armed Forces' General Staff reported this on Facebook. 

The press service сlaims that the tendency to escape from units and military units is spreading among the Russian military: “Thus, in the Starobilsk district of the temporarily occupied Luhansk region, the occupying forces are looking for 50 soldiers who deserted.”

Over the last day, the AFU repelled over 30 Russian attacks and launched 14 strikes on military positions

Russia continues to focus its main efforts on conducting offensive actions on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka directions.

Thus, on March 31, the Ukrainian Defense Forces' units repelled over 30 enemy attacks. The most fierce battles remain for the towns of Bilohorivka, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka.

At the same time, Ukrainian aviation launched 6 strikes on the invading Russian troops' military positions. Missile and artillery units struck 8 enemy manpower concentration areas, a fuel and lubricant depot, 2 anti-aircraft missile systems, an artillery unit at a firing position, as well as an electronic warfare station.

Russian army launched 5 missile strikes and 12 airstrikes

On March 31, the Russian forces launched more attacks on civilian targets in Zaporizhzhia and other Ukrainian towns using ballistic missiles. The enemy also used 6 Shahed-136 attack UAVs for air strikes, all of which were destroyed by Ukrainian defenders.

Near the state Ukrainian border with Russia and Belarus, the situation hasn't changed significantly. As part of the combat training, the drills of the Belarusian Armed Forces' Special Forces units were completed. However, no enemy offensive groups have been detected. The enemy also continues to maintain a military presence in the border areas of the Kursk and Belgorod regions.

At the same time, Russia keeps shelling the border areas: one settlement in the Chernihiv region, 6 more in the Sumy region, as well as 6 villages and towns in the Kharkiv region were attacked. 

Other Ukrainian regions which came under Russian attacks over the day

In the Kupiansk direction, 5 settlements came under enemy shelling. 

In the Lyman direction, the enemy conducted unsuccessful offensives near 5 settlements. 5 more localities came under attack. 

In the Bakhmut direction, the Russian troops keep storming the city of Bakhmut and trying to take it under full control. 7 localities in the Donetsk region were subjected to enemy shelling. 

In the Avdiivka and Marinka directions, the Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensives near 3 settlements. 4 more were subjected to enemy attack. 

In the Shakhtarsk direction, the enemy actively used UAVs to adjust artillery fire over the last day, firing at 5 localities in the Donetsk region.

In the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, the enemy did not conduct active operations, improving defensive lines and positions in terms of fortifications. 10 cities and villages were attacked.