Russian army launches 20 missile and 30 air strikes on Ukraine – General Staff

This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

According to the information, the enemy used 17 air-launched cruise missiles, 15 of which were destroyed by Ukrainian defenders, and 3 more S-300 missiles on Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka. Civilian infrastructure was damaged. The threat of missile and air strikes across Ukraine remains high.

The enemy continues to attack in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka directions. Russian forces unleashed almost 30 attacks in these areas over the last day. 

The fiercest fighting continues for the towns of Bakhmut and Marinka.

Russian attacks in other Ukrainian regions

Near the state Ukrainian border with Russia and Belarus no signs of  Russian enemy offensive groups were detected. Certain units of the armed forces of the Russian Federation continue to be deployed at the training grounds of Belarus.

At the same time, the Russian forces keep shelling Ukrainian border areas.

Over the past day, they fired mortar and artillery shells at 2 settlements in Chernihiv region; 9 settlements in Sumy region, as well as 13 settlements in Kharkiv region.

In the Kupiansk direction, the Russian enemy tried to improve the tactical situation, having offensives near 2 settlements, but was unsuccessful. 6 settlements in the Kharkiv region and 1 settlement in the Luhansk region came under artillery and mortar fire.

In the Lyman direction, 3 settlements in the Luhansk region and 2 settlements in the Donetsk region came under Russian artillery fire.

In the Bakhmut direction, the Russian forces unleashed unsuccessful offensives in the city of Bakhmut, 7 settlements in the Donetsk region suffered from enemy shelling as well.

In the Avdiivka direction, the enemy did not conduct any offensive actions, conducted an air strike at 4 settlements in the Donetsk region.

In the Marinka direction, Ukrainian defense forces repelled numerous enemy attacks near the town of Marinka; Heorhiivka, Donetsk region.

In the Shakhtarsk direction, the Russian enemy did not launch any offensives during the day. Russian troops fired at 5 settlements.

In the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, the Russian forces are on the defensive. In particular, they attacked 2 settlements in Donetsk region; 9 settlements in Zaporizhzhia region; 3 settlements in Kherson region.

The General Staff said that on May 8, the Russian occupiers began to take out preschool and school-age children with their parents, as well as teachers and other public sector employees from the town of Kamianka-Dniprovska in Zaporizhzhia region. There were not many people willing to leave. The evacuation is being carried out to Berdyansk. At the same time, all medical workers of the local hospital have been called to work.

"Aviation of the Defense Forces carried out 4 strikes on the areas of concentration of enemy personnel and military equipment, as well as 2 strikes on their anti-aircraft missile systems. Rocket and artillery units struck 2 areas of manpower concentration and an occupiers' electronic warfare station," the statement said.