Ukrainian Armed Forces engage in constant counter-battery combat with Russian troops in southern Ukraine

She said this on the Espreso TV channel.

"Russia has accumulated enough forces and means in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to conduct counter-battery combat with the enemy in the South. Over the past day, Ukrainian defenders destroyed two artillery systems, two drones and armored vehicles. However, the Russian troops continue to hide behind the local population," said Humeniuk.

The spokeswoman added that Russian occupiers continue the forced evacuation in the temporarily occupied territories.

"Russians are trying to take people out of the occupied territories. They are taking people to the frontiers where they are moving themselves. That is, where the Russians are setting up new bases, they are trying to move civilians there. People are reluctant to move and prefer to stay to wait for the Ukrainian Armed Forces," she added.

• On April 18, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that Russian troops are trying to advance at the Kupyansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka directions, while defending at the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions. Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled over 70 attacks