Russia has lost up to 40% of the forces allocated to the war with Ukraine - the General Staff report

This was reported by the official Facebook of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a report as of 24:00 on March 15.

"The offensive operation against Ukraine continues. The aggressor has not fulfilled the task of defeating the Armed Forces, reaching the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and other tasks. At the same time, the invaders have stopped in the Mykolayiv direction", the Armed Forces said.

The General Staff also has information that the Russian leadership has decided to release cadets from higher military educational institutions early and then involve them in hostilities against Ukraine.

"The aggressor is trying to strengthen the grouping of troops due to the additional transfer to Ukraine of battalion tactical groups formed from consolidated units that suffered losses during the first ten days of the operation, mercenaries from among foreign nationals. In addition, according to reports, a decision on the early graduation of cadets of higher military educational institutions on the territory of the Russian Federation with their further involvement in hostilities against Ukraine", the statement reads.

In Volhynia, the actions of the invader did not change. The main efforts are focused on strengthening the protection of the Ukrainian-Belarusian border. The transfer of the units of the North-Western Operational Command of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus to the border areas with Ukraine was revealed.

The invader did not conduct active offensive operations in the Polissya direction. The invader is chaotically mining the area, creating dangerous living conditions for the civilian population of Ukraine. Along with this, the invader regrouped, restoring the combat capability of the units defeated in previous battles.  Due to the effective actions of the Armed Forces, the invader suffers significant losses in manpower and equipment.

In the northern direction, the invader concentrated its efforts during the day on reconnaissance. It has problems with providing troops with ammunition.

In Slobozhanshchyna, the enemy is trying to strengthen the existing group by concentrating reserves near the state border, blocking access to the city of Sumy from the south and blocking the city of Izyum. It has no success.

In the Donetsk direction, the invader made an unsuccessful attempt to advance in the directions of the settlements of Rubizhne, Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, as a result of which the aggressor suffered significant losses and was forced to retreat. In the area of ​​Popasna the invader tries to keep the occupied position. It has no success in the area of ​​Avdiivka.

The worst situation remains in the Mariupol area, where the invader is trying to block the city on the western and eastern outskirts of the city. It has significant losses, forced to introduce reserves from the 810th Separate Marine Brigade.

In the South Bug direction, the invader concentrated its efforts on maintaining the occupied frontiers and improving the engineering equipment of the existing positions. It does not abandon the idea of ​​continuing the offensive in the direction of Kryvyi Rih. As a result of the effective work of units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine in the area of ​​Chornobaivka, the invader lost seven combat helicopters.