In Melitopol, citizens without Russian documents prohibited from any payments - AFU General Staff

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces shared the information in a morning report on March 17.

Forced passportization of the population of the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia region continues. In particular, in the city of Melitopol, the Russian occupation authorities, together with representatives of the Russian Federal Tax Service, have banned any payments and settlements to citizens who do not have a Russian taxpayer registration number. 

The  taxpayer registration number can be obtained only with a Russian passport.

More than 20 seriously injured Russian soldiers brought to the occupied Oleshky district, Kherson region, for treatment

The Russian army continues to suffer losses. Thus, more than 20 seriously injured Russian soldiers were brought for treatment to the Oleshky district hospital in the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson region.

Ukrainian defense forces repelled over 70 Russian attacks in 5 directions over the last day

Russia does not abandon its intentions to seize Ukraine and continues to launch offensives, despite losses. Russian troops are focusing their main efforts on Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Marinka and Vuhledar directions. 

Over the past day, Russian forces launched over 70 attacks on the directions.

Russian troops launch 5 missile and 18 air strikes at Ukraine

Over the past day, Russian troops launched 5 missile, 18 air strikes, and 73 MLRS attacks. 

Another Russian shelling of Kostyantynivka, Donetsk region, wounded 6 civilians and damaged more than 20 houses, a school and other civilian infrastructure.

The probability of Russian missile attacks throughout Ukraine remains high.

Ukrainian Armed Forces hit 5 Russian control points, air defense systems and personnel concentration

Over the past day, the aviation of the Ukrainian Defense Forces launched 7 strikes on Russian personnel concentrations. 

Ukrainian missile and artillery units struck 5 Russian control points, 5 concentrations of personnel and military equipment, a fuel and lubricant depot, 2 radar stations, an electronic warfare station and an anti-aircraft missile system at a firing position.

Situation in the sectors

On the northern and northeastern border with Belarus and Russia, the operational situation has not changed significantly, no enemy offensive groups have been detected. 

Training of Russian troops continues at the training grounds of the Republic of Belarus. 

During the day, Russian forces shelled 4 settlements in the Chernihiv region, 7 in the Sumy region, and more than 20 settlements in the Kharkiv region. 

In Kupiansk and Lyman directions, Russian troops are trying to break through the defense of Ukrainian forces. They launched unsuccessful offensives near 5 settlements.

Russian troops also fired artillery near 3 settlements in the Kharkiv region, 3 more in the Luhansk region, and 2 in the Donetsk region.

In the Bakhmut direction, Russian forces continue to try to storm the city of Bakhmut. Numerous Russian attacks were repelled near  Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske and Hryhorivka. 

More than 15 settlements in the Donetsk region near the contact line came under Russian fire. 

In Avdiivka, Marinka and Shakhtarsk (Vuhledar) directions, Russian troops launched unsuccessful offensives near Avdiivka, Marinka, and 3 other settlements. Most of the attacks, 12 in particular, were launched near Marinka. All of them were repelled. 

More than 20 settlements came under Russian fire in the Donetsk region.

In Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, Russian forces are on the offensive. In particular, 6 settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region, 6 more in the Kherson region and the city of Kherson were shelled.

• Earlier, it was reported that in the city of Tokmak, the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia region, Russian occupation authorities are conducting forced passportization, and in case of refusal, threaten to take children of local residents to Russia.