Occupiers intensified offensive and assault operations in some areas in eastern Ukraine, - General Staff

This was reported in General Staff of Armed Forces.

"The main efforts of enemy are focused on establishing full control over the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and maintaining formerly occupied territory” said in the message.

According to General Staff of Armed Forces of Ukraine, occupiers are forming additional units in  Rostov region and in temporarily occupied territory of Crimea to strengthen their offensive capabilities. According to available information, approximate date of formation of such units is April 24. occupiers plan to use them to support fighting of main forces in second echelon, protection of administrative buildings and important infrastructure in the occupied territories.

General Staff also warned possibility of provocative actions and  usage  Russian military aircraft in border areas of Russia with Ukraine, in particular,  task of strikes on civilian targets. In addition, near  state border with Ukraine, in Belgorod region of Russia, the deployment of helipads is noted.

"In the Slobozhansky direction, an enemy group, which includes separate units of the 6th All-Military Army of the Western Military District,  Baltic and Northern Coastal Troops, continues to partially block Kharkiv and destroy residential areas with artillery fire," General Staff said.

In  Volyn, Polissya and Siversky directions, no significant changes in  activities of enemy's troops are observed.

In Izyum direction, it is probable that  enemy will continue to attack in  Izyum-Slovyansk and Izyum-Barvinkove directions.

In Donetsk and Tavriya directions,  occupiers continue to focus their main efforts on capturing  settlements of Lyman, Kreminna, Popasna and Rubizhne. They continue to try to establish full control over Mariupol. Fighting for Mariupol continues, enemy is storming the seaport.

In South Bug direction, enemy does not stop trying to establish full control over the territory of Kherson region. However, hostilities in  Oleksandrivka settlement have not been successful. Occupiers continue to cynically violate international humanitarian law, block initiatives to evacuate civilians from occupied settlements, refuse to coordinate humanitarian routes, and fire on areas near possible "green corridors." In  occupied territories,  enemy steals and exports to  Russian Federation equipment, machinery and products of local enterprises, mines agricultural fields, "- added in  General Staff of  Armed Forces.