Russia prepares for offensive in certain areas, 300 enemy soldiers cannot be demobilized in Luhansk region - General Staff

The Ukrainian Armed Forces' General Staff reported this on the morning of February 2.

The enemy is actively conducting reconnaissance and preparing for an offensive in certain areas. Despite heavy losses, the Russian forces continue to attempt offensives in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Novopavlivka directions.

Near the state Ukrainian border with Russia and Belarus, no enemy offensive groups have been detected.

At the same time, the Russian Federation continued shelling the entire line of contact with artillery and mortars: 2 settlements in the Chernihiv region, 3 more in the Sumy region, as well as 10 cities and villages in the Kharkiv region were attacked. 

Shelling of Ukrainian regions

In the Kupyansk direction, the Russian troops fired from tanks and artillery at the areas of 11 settlements. 

In the Lyman direction, 5 settlements came under enemy fire.

In the Bakhmut direction, 11 settlements of the Donetsk region were attacked. 

In the Avdiivka direction, 9 settlements of the Donetsk region came under enemy fire.

In the Vuhledar direction, 6 settlements of the Donetsk region were shelled with artillery.

In the Zaporizhzhia direction, more than 20 cities and villages were shelled. 

In the Kherson direction, 4 cities and villages came under artillery fire.

Russia launched 6 missile strikes and 4 airstrikes on Ukraine over the past day

In total, on February 1, the Russian enemy launched 6 missile attacks, 4 of which targeted civilian infrastructure in Slovyansk, Kramatorsk and Druzhkivka in the Donetsk region, as well as 4 airstrikes.

The Russian troops also launched 73 attacks with multiple launch rocket systems, killing civilians. 

The threat of Russian air and missile strikes remains throughout Ukraine.

AFU repelled Russian attacks on 14 settlements and destroyed 3 enemy military positions

Over the past day, Ukrainian troops repelled the occupying Russian forces' attacks near Novoselivske, Ploshchanka, Nevske, Chervonopopivka, Dibrova, Kuzmine and Bilohorivka, Luhansk region, as well as Spirne, Bilohorivka, Blahodatne, Krasna Hora, Bakhmut and Klishchiivka, Donetsk region.

Over the past day, the Ukrainian Defense Forces' missile and artillery units hit a Russian control center, 3 military positions, and a fuel depot.

Employees of Horlivka transport companies are threatened with dismissal if they do not have a Russian passport

The enemy continues to impose Russian citizenship on Ukrainian citizens of the temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk region. In Horlivka, there are ongoing coercive measures to ensure that drivers receive new Russian-standard licenses, which is impossible in the absence of a Russian passport.

Therefore, the invading forces set a deadline for employees of transport companies until May 1, 2023. Those who do not fulfill the requirements will be fired.

In Luhansk region, 300 Russian soldiers' contracts have expired, but they cannot be demobilized

As of January 09, 2023, three-month contracts expired in one of the Russian units operating in the Luhansk region. As a result, about 300 servicemen do not receive financial support.

In addition, they cannot be dismissed from military service due to the announced mobilization.

• Earlier, the General Staff said that in the temporarily occupied Luhansk region, Russians are forcing Ukrainians to give children from the age of 6 for 'patriotic education' by threatening them with deprivation of parental rights.