Russian troops advance in Bilohorivka area to find weaknesses in Ukrainian defense. Fierce fighting for Bakhmut and Marinka continues

This was reported by the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in a daily morning briefing on May 4.

The Russian army is still concentrating on offensive operations in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka directions. Forty enemy attacks were repelled there. 

The most fierce fighting is for Bakhmut and Marinka.

Ukrainian Armed Forces hit 3 enemy artillery units at firing positions, 3 warehouses and an electronic warfare station 

On May 3, the aviation of the Defense Forces carried out 13 strikes on the areas of Russian troops concentration, as well as 4 strikes on their anti-aircraft missile systems.

In turn, missile troops and artillery units struck the occupiers' concentration area, an electronic warfare station, 3 artillery units at firing positions, 3 ammunition and fuel and lubricant depots, and a Russian air defense system.

Forced passportization continues in Henichesk district of Kherson region, occupiers are biased against Ukrainian citizens 

"Forced passportization of Ukrainian citizens in the Henichesk district of the temporarily occupied Kherson region continues," the statement reads. 

The Russian occupiers are constantly putting pressure on the locals, threatening them with deportation and confiscation of property, and restricting their movement between settlements.

The invaders are also biased against people with Ukrainian passports.

Russia launched 2 missile and 68 air strikes against Ukraine over the last day

The Russian Federation continues to disregard the laws and customs of war and uses terror tactics. Over the past day, the enemy carried out 2 missile strikes and 68 air strikes, fired 67 times from multiple launch rocket systems.

Civilians were injured, private houses and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged.

The General Staff noted that information on the nighttime combat operations of Ukrainian air defense will be provided later. It is being clarified.

Situation in the following directions

No signs of formation of offensive groups have been detected in the northern and northwestern Ukrainian border. Training of Russian territorial troops continues at training grounds in Belarus.

In the northern and north-eastern part of Ukraine, the Russian army keeps a military presence in the areas bordering Ukraine. Over the past day, they fired with artillery and mortars at 1settlements in Chernihiv region; 6 in Sumy region, and 8 in Kharkiv region.

The Russian forces did not carry out any offensive actions in the Kupyansk direction. Nine settlements in the Kharkiv region came under fire.

In the Lyman direction, Russian troops were unsuccessfully attacking in the area of Bilohorivka to find weaknesses in Ukraine's defense. Two localities in the Luhansk region and three in Donetsk region were subjected to artillery shelling.

The adversary continues to conduct offensives in the Bakhmut direction where fighting for the city of Bakhmut continues. In addition, over the past day, they made unsuccessful offensive actions in the direction of New York town. Nine towns in the Donetsk region suffered from hostile attacks.

In the Avdiivka direction, Russian troops carried out unsuccessful offensives in the area of Sievierne in the Donetsk region. They opened fire on 9 localities.

In the Marinka direction, the invading Russian forces are trying to improve their tactical position. Numerous enemy attacks were repulsed in the areas of Marinka and Novomykhailivka. Krasnohorivka, Donetsk region, also suffered from shelling.

In the Vuhledar direction, the enemy shelled 6 localities in the Donetsk region. Russian troops continue to hold defensive positions in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions. They launched a missile attack on the city of Zaporizhzhia and an air strike on Kizomys in the Kherson region. They attacked with artillery 3 settlements in Donetsk region, 6 in Zaporizhzhia region, 1 in Dnipropetrovsk region; 4 Kherson region and the city of Kherson itself. Civilians were killed.

• On the night of May 4, explosions were heard in Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, and Odesa. Ukrainian forces managed to shoot down 18 of the 24 Shahed-136/131 drones. In Odesa, 3 drones attacked dormitories and a fire broke out.