Russians may try to take control of Mariupol, Popasna and launch an offensive in the direction of Kurakhovo in order to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk region - General Staff

This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

"The forty-eighth day of the heroic opposition of the Ukrainian people to the Russian military invasion has begun. The full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation against our state continues. The enemy is trying to complete the regrouping and movement of units to the areas of concentration in the Belgorod and Voronezh regions of the Russian Federation, as well as airfields that are in close proximity  from the eastern borders of Ukraine", the statement said.

It is noted that Russian invaders, disregarding the norms of International Humanitarian Law, continue to use the tactics of placing equipment and manpower directly in residential areas.  Thus, in the temporarily occupied territories of the Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions, invaders use the premises of agricultural enterprises, energy and social infrastructure facilities, and the central areas of settlements.  Cases of the conduct of hostilities by the invader in civilian clothes were noted.

In the Volhynia and Polissya directions, the invader did not conduct active operations.  Changes in the position and actions of invader units in these directions were not recorded.

In the Siversk direction, the invader is completing the redeployment of individual units to the eastern operational zone. The movement of units of the 41st Combined Arms Army of the Central Military District to certain areas in the Belgorod and Voronezh regions continues.

In the Slobozhansky direction, the invader troops continue to partially block the city of Kharkiv. In the area of ​​the city of Izyum, the enemy is conducting combat operations with the forces of individual units from the 1st Tank Army and the 20th Combined Arms Army. Conducts aerial reconnaissance to identify the positions of Ukrainian troops and determine the routes of their advancement.

In the Donetsk and Tauride directions, the enemy is conducting combat operations and holding certain lines with forces from the Southern Military District. The movement of additional units to conduct combat operations on the territory of Ukraine.

Signs of strengthening the air defense system in the areas of the settlements of Melitopol and Ilovaisk were revealed.

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"Probably, in the future, the invader will try to take control of the city of Mariupol, capture Popasna and conduct an offensive in the direction of Kurakhovo in order to reach the administrative borders of the Donetsk region", the report says.

In the South Bug direction, the invader is holding certain lines with the forces of units from the Southern Military District.  Conducts replenishment of regular losses in manpower and equipment. Tries to ensure the survivability of their own command posts. The invader does not leave attempts to gain a foothold on the administrative borders of the Kherson region.

In the waters of the Black and Azov Seas, invader naval groupings continue to carry out the tasks of isolating the area of ​​combat operations, conducting reconnaissance, and providing fire support to ground units.

The threat of the use of missile weapons by the invader also remains.

Over the past day, on April 11, Ukrainian soldiers repelled six invader attacks on the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, destroying four tanks, five armored vehicles, twenty-six vehicles and eight invader artillery systems.

The grouping of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine hit seven air targets over the previous day: one aircraft, two helicopters and four unmanned aerial vehicles.