Russia is preparing for hidden mobilization in occupied Crimea, while AFU repels attacks in 16 towns and villages - General Staff

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this in a morning summary on January 20.

Russia is preparing a hidden mobilization on the temporarily occupied territories of Crimea. In Sevastopol, IT specialists, financial workers and other civilian specialists, who had been reserved by companies, now should appear in the recruiting centers (military commissariats).

Invaders arranged a "field hospital" on the territory of a maternity hospital

The enemy continues to use a network of civilian healthcare facilities in the temporarily occupied territory to treat its wounded soldiers. For example, in Novopskov, Luhansk oblast, in the premises of the local maternity hospital, the occupiers opened a "field hospital" where more than 300 servicemen and mercenaries of the PMC "Wagner" are being treated.

AFU struck 29 areas of aggressors' concentration and repelled attacks in 16 settlements

According to General Staff, during the past day, Ukrainian Air Force delivered 21 air strikes on concentrations of enemy troops and combat equipment and 7 air strikes against Russian anti-aircraft missile systems positions. Ukrainian soldiers shot down 3 Lancet-3 UAVs.

Ukrainian missile and artillery troops attacked 6 Russian command posts, 8 concentrations of enemy troops and an ammunition depot. 

Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled attacks in the vicinities of Novoselivske and Bilohorivka settlements, Luhansk region; Verkhnyokamyanske, Krasnopolivka, Soledar, Krasna Hora, Paraskoviivka, Bakhmut, Ivanovske, Diliivka, Vodyane, Marinka, Pobieda, and Novosilka, Donetsk region; and Mala Tokmachka and Stepove, Zaporizhzhia region.

Russia launches 9 missile and 23 air strikes on Ukraine overnight

During the past day, the enemy launched 9 missile and 23 air strikes and conducted more than 80 MLRS attacks. There is an increased threat of air and missile strikes on civilian objects throughout the territory of Ukraine.

Russians attack in two directions, defend in four

The enemy concentrates its primary efforts on further offensives on Bakhmut and Avdiivka directions. However, the Russian occupying forces stay on the defensive on Kupyansk, Lyman, Novopavlivka, and Kherson directions. 

Near the state border with Belarus and Russia, no enemy offensive groupings were detected. However, Russia keeps strengthening its aviation grouping under the guise of joint exercises with Belarus.

The enemy shelled the vicinities of Timofiivka in the Sumy region and 10 settlements in the Kharkiv region.

Kupyansk direction: the vicinities of 9 settlements of Kharkiv oblast and 1 settlement of Luhansk oblast were subjects to enemy attacks.

Lyman direction: the enemy employed various weapons to attack the vicinities of 7 settlements in the Luhansk region.  

Bakhmut direction: 10 settlements in the Donetsk region were damaged by enemy fire.

Avdiivka direction: 8 settlements in the Donetsk region came under enemy fire.

Novopavlivka direction: the enemy shelled 5 settlements in the Donetsk region.

Zaporizhzhia direction: more than 20 settlements were affected by tank, mortar and artillery fire, including, Vremivka and Novopil, Donetsk oblast; Olhivske, Malynivka, Hulyaipole, Charivne, Bilohirya, Orihiv, Mali Shcherbaky, and Kamyans’ke, Zaporizhzhia oblast.

Kherson direction: the occupiers shelled 10 settlements.

• Earlier, the Institute for the Study of War predicted that a Russian offensive on the territory of Ukraine from Belarus could take place in late 2023, in the fall.