Russian forces compile lists of volunteers ready to 'evacuate' to Crimea or Russia in Kherson region – General Staff

The Ukrainian Armed Forces' General Staff reported this on Facebook. 

It is noted that for now the 'evacuation' will be voluntary.

“In the Skadovsk district of the Kherson region, the Russian occupation so-called authorities have begun compiling lists of people among local residents who agree to be 'evacuated' to Crimea or the territory of the Russian Federation. The 'evacuation' will be carried out on a voluntary basis, with women and children being taken out first,” the report says. 

Ukrainian aviation launched 5 strikes on Russian military positions and shot down a drone over the last day

Ukrainian aviation launched 5 strikes on the invading Russian forces' military positions over the last day.

In turn, missile and artillery units struck the area where enemy manpower was concentrated.

Ukrainian defenders also shot down an enemy reconnaissance UAV.

During the day, Russian forces launched 3 missile strikes and 17 airstrikes against Ukraine

The Russian enemy also launched over 20 attacks with multiple launch rocket systems.

The Russian forces continue to focus their main efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka directions, while the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled over 45 enemy attacks over the last day. Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka remain at the epicenter of the fighting.

Near the state Ukrainian border with Russia and Belarus, the situation hasn't changed significantly, and no enemy offensive groups have been detected. Russia continues to use the airspace and territory of Belarus and its military infrastructure. Belarusian training grounds are used for military exercises of the Russian Armed Forces.

Enemy units remain present in the border areas of the Kursk and Belgorod regions

At the same time, the Russian Federation continued shelling the entire border line: 2 settlements in the Sumy region, as well as 7 villages in the Kharkiv region were attacked. 

Russian attacks in other Ukrainian regions

• In the Kupiansk direction, 9 settlements were attacked by the Russian enemy. 

• In the Lyman direction, the Russian forces launched unsuccessful offensives in the areas of 2 settlements over the last day. 6 more localities came under artillery fire.

• In the Bakhmut direction, the Russian troops are trying to take full control of the city of Bakhmut and continue to storm it. They conducted unsuccessful offensives near 2 settlements. Over the course of the day, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled about 20 enemy attacks in the area of the contact line. 12 localities in the Donetsk region came under fire. 

• In the Avdiivka and Marinka directions, the Russian enemy conducted unsuccessful offensives in the areas of 3 settlements. 8 localities in the Donetsk region were attacked. 

• In the Shakhtarsk direction, the Russian troops did not conduct any offensive actions over the last day. However, they actively used UAVs to adjust artillery fire. 6 settlements in the Donetsk region were attacked. 

• In the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, the enemy did not have active operations, but was building up its defense capabilities. 7 towns and villages were subjected to numerous enemy attacks. 

On April 3, 12 people returned to Ukraine, including two civilians who had been captured by the occupying Russian forces in Kharkiv and Mariupol.