Russian forces are preparing for defense in Melitopol – сity officials

He said this on Espreso TV. 

“According to local residents of Melitopol who see what is happening, all the city's equipment is involved in digging trenches. The occupiers are burying Tornado and Uragan MLRS in the ground in preparation for defense. In the village of Semenivka, which is on the outskirts of Melitopol, the invaders are also building defensive structures,” emphasized Maiorov.

Viktor Maiorov also added that Russian troops are rotating in Melitopol.

“Russian military are constantly coming to Melitopol from the Mariupol direction and from Crimea. There are constant rotations in Melitopol. But after the series of explosions that took place, locals say they have great hope for the liberation of the city. The feeling that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are somewhere nearby inspires the townspeople,” Maiorov said. 

• Invading Russian forces involve collaborators in the transportation of looted property of Ukrainians, businesses and government agencies from the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia region to Crimea.

• Askad Ashurbekov, a deputy of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Council, noted that the Russian troops are pressuring residents of the occupied Zaporizhzhia region to evacuate in order to keep people as human shields along all logistics routes.