Russian occupiers frighten Melitopol residents with AFU offensive, entry and exit restricted in Kherson region village - General Staff

This was reported by the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in its morning report on April 5.

Thus, in Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia region, the Russian occupiers are trying to psychologically influence the local population. They distribute leaflets about evacuation to Russia

People are also frightened by the upcoming offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

In turn, in Velyka Kardashynka, Kherson region, due to the movement of the occupiers' heavy equipment around the outskirts of the village, the entry and exit of all local residents is almost completely restricted, and people are prohibited from leaving their homes. 

The checks of documents and cell phones have also been intensified.

Bakhmut and Marinka remain at the center of hostilities, Ukrainian Armed Forces repel 60 Russian attacks

The Russian enemy continues to focus its main efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka directions. Bakhmut and Marinka remain at the center of the fighting.

However, over 60 Russian attacks were repelled by the Ukrainian Armed Forces over the last day. 

Russia launched 3 missiles and 47 air strikes and carried out 42 MLRS attacks

On April 4, the Russian forces launched 3 missiles and 47 air strikes, including 17 Shahed-136 UAVs. 14 of them were destroyed by Ukrainian defenders. 

They  also fired 42 times from multiple launch rocket systems. There are dead and wounded among the civilian population.

There is a high probability of missile and air strikes throughout Ukraine, as the Russian army continues to use terror tactics.

Situation in different directions

In the Northern and Northeastern Ukrainian borders, the operational situation has not changed significantly, no signs of enemy offensive groups have been detected.

Units of the Belarusian Armed Forces continue to perform tasks in the areas bordering Ukraine. The Russian Federation continues to use the airspace and territory of Belarus and its military infrastructure.

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

During the day, Russian troops fired at 1 settlement in Chernihiv region; 5 in Sumy region, and 8 in Kharkiv region.

In the Kupyansk direction, 4 localities in Kharkiv region and 2 in Luhansk region came under enemy fire.

In the Lyman direction, the Russian troops conducted unsuccessful offensives in the areas south of Kreminna and south of Spirne over the past day. 

Over 20 localities in the Donetsk region came under artillery fire.

In the Bakhmut direction, the Russian forces are trying to take full control of Bakhmut and continue to storm it. The invaders also conducted unsuccessful offensives in the area of Bohdanivka in Donetsk region. 

Ukrainian defense forces repelled about 30 Russian attacks in this area of the frontline over the last day. 

More than 15 settlements in the Donetsk region suffered from enemy shelling.

In the Avdiivka and Marinka directions, the Russian invaders conducted offensive actions in the areas of 4 settlements of the Donetsk region, but they were unsuccessful. 

At the same time, 8 localities were fired upon.

The Russian army did not conduct any offensive in the Vuhledar direction. They actively used UAVs to adjust artillery fire. 

They attacked 5 localities in the Donetsk region.

In the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, the enemy continues to increase its defense capabilities.

They fired at more than 30 settlements. Among them - 4 in Zaporizhzhia region; 6 in Kherson region, as well as the city of Kherson.

Ukrainian troops shot down a drone and hit 2 Grad rocket launchers, 3 control points and several occupiers' concentration areas

Over the last day, the defense aviation conducted 9 strikes on the areas of occupiers' personnel and military equipment concentration. 

Also, a Russian high-precision unmanned aerial vehicle of the KUB type was shot down.

In turn, missile and artillery units hit 3 control points, 2 areas of manpower concentration, 2 BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers and a Russian electronic warfare station.

• Earlier it was reported that in Starobilsk, in the temporarily occupied Luhansk region, Russians are using utility workers to move their military into apartments abandoned by locals under the guise of inspections.