Russian forces illegally transport medics from Donetsk to Mariupol, over 100 Wagner mercenaries are being treated in Luhansk region - General Staff

The Ukrainian Armed Forces' General Staff reported on December 29.

It is noted that more than 100 wounded mercenaries of the Wagner Group continue to receive treatment in Bilovodsk, Luhansk region. In addition, in Tokmak, about 120 wounded soldiers are being treated on the territory of the so-called “military hospital.”

Also, according to the General Staff, the invading forces organized the removal of medical equipment and medical workers from the Kalinin Donetsk Regional Clinical Hospital to the temporarily occupied Mariupol.

During the day, Ukraine's Armed Forces launched 15 strikes on the Russian troops and hit 4 control points

On December 29, the Air Force of Ukraine's Armed Forces launched 12 strikes on the Russian military positions and struck the position of the enemy's anti-aircraft missile complex. In turn, the Ukrainian Armed Forces' missile forces and artillery hit 4 Russian control points and 3 military positions during the current day.

The General Staff also confirmed that on December 28, as a result of fire damage, more than 50 Russian soldiers were killed in the Berdiansk district, Zaporizhzhia region. 

During the day, the occupying Russian forces launched 23 airstrikes, 10 missile strikes and 14 attacks with multiple launch rocket systems

The Russian enemy is concentrating its efforts on conducting offensive actions in the Bakhmut and Zaporizhzhia areas and is trying to improve its tactical position in the Lyman and Avdiivka directions. In the Kupiansk and Novopavlivka directions, the Russian forces conduct an active defense. In the Kherson direction, they are regrouping troops to other directions, are being reinforced by units of territorial troops, and are conducting positional defense.

On the border with Belarus, the situation is stable. In other directions, the situation is as follows.

• In the northeastern Ukrainian border in the Chernihiv, Sumy and Kharkiv regions, the enemy shelled the areas of Lypivka, Budky, Kozachok, Strilecha, Zelene, Ohirtseve, Hatyshche, Kolodiazne, Ridkodub, Novomlynsk, and Dvorichna.

• In the Kupiansk and Lyman directions, areas of 19 settlements were damaged by fire. Among them are Kupiansk, Tabaivka, Klishchivka, Lozova, Novoehorivka, Kovalivka, Ploshanka, Makiivka, Nevske, and Dibrova. 

• In the Bakhmut direction of the Donetsk region, more than 15 settlements were shelled. In particular, Andriivka, Spirne, Berestovka, Bilohorivka, Soledar, Bakhmutske, Bakhmut, Klishchiivka, Kurdiumivka, and Stupochky. 

• In the Avdiivka direction of the Donetsk region, Orlivka, Avdiivka, Vodiane, Vesele, Nevelske, Mairinka, and Novomykhailivka were affected.

• In the Vuhledar direction of the Donetsk region, the enemy shelled Vremivka, Novoukrainka, Prechystivka, and Vuhledar. 

• In the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, the Russian enemy shelled the Ukrainian troops' positions with tanks, mortars and barrel artillery in the areas of more than 35 settlements. Among them are Malynivka, Mala Tokmachka, Mali Shcherbaky, Zmiivka, Antonivka, Zelenivka, Dniprovske, and Veletenske. 

On the morning of December 29, air defense was operating in the territories of Kyiv, Donetsk, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Zhytomyr, Odesa, and Lviv regions, as well as in Kyiv itself. At least two people were killed as a result of the Russian attack.  According to preliminary data, a total of 69 missiles were used. The Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed 54 enemy cruise missiles.