Ukrainian Armed Forces repel 100 Russian attacks in 5 directions, Russia covertly mobilizes Caucasus men - AFU General Staff

This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its morning report on February 24.

Russia has been continuing its full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine for a year now. It is now focusing its main efforts on conducting offensive operations in Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Vuhledar directions. 

Yesterday, February 23, Ukrainian defenders repelled about 100 enemy attacks in these directions.

Russia launches 10 missile and 31 air strikes against Ukraine over the past day

Russian troops launched 10 missile, 31 air strikes and more than 40 MLRS attacks.

As a result of these criminal acts, civilian objects in Kharkiv and Kherson regions were damaged. There are dead and wounded among the civilian population.

On the northern and northeastern border with Belarus and Russia, no signs of the formation of enemy offensive groups were detected.

Russian troops shelled with mortars and artillery 5 settlements in the Chernihiv region and 10 in the Sumy region.

More than 22 districts in the Kharkiv region were also affected. Russian forces also struck with army aircraft near Dvorichna and Ohirtseve.

In Kupiansk and Lyman directions, Russian troops launched unsuccessful offensives near 5 settlements. 

They shelled more than 20 settlements in Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

Russian forces launched air strikes near 3 settlements in the Kharkiv region and Serebrianskyi forestry and Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region. 

Two settlements in the Donetsk region were also damaged. Russian troops launched 6 Lancet barrage munitions in this direction.

In the Bakhmut direction, Russian troops launched several unsuccessful offensives near 6 settlements in the Donetsk region.

More than 20 settlements came under fire.

In Avdiivka and Vuhledar directions, unsuccessful Russian offensives were registered near 4 towns in the Donetsk region. 

About 25 settlements came under artillery fire.

In the Zaporizhzhia direction, over 25 settlements in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions suffered Russian shelling. 

In the Kherson direction, the artillery of the Russian occupying forces hit 9 settlements in the Kherson region. In total, more than 30 settlements suffered attacks.

Russia is covertly mobilizing men from the Caucasus, including convicts

In order to replenish large-scale losses in manpower, Russia continues covert mobilization. In particular, in the regions of the Caucasus, there is an active forced mobilization of men of military age to be deployed to participate in hostilities in Ukraine. 

All men are subject to mobilization, regardless of their health condition and willingness to fight, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces notes. 

"A large number of those mobilized are citizens who have served or are serving sentences in penitentiary institutions. Convicts are released on condition of voluntary participation in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine," the military adds.

Operators cut off Internet access in the occupied Luhansk region

In some areas of the temporarily occupied territories of the Luhansk region, mobile operators have cut off access to the Internet in order to prevent the transmission of data on the actions of Russian occupying forces and to combat the population that feels patriotic towards Ukraine. 

The Internet is to be disconnected on all temporarily occupied territories of the Luhansk region.

Ukrainian Armed Forces strike Russian warehouses, air defense systems and manpower concentrations

On February 23, the aviation of the Ukrainian Defense Forces launched 17 strikes on Russian personnel concentrations and 4 strikes on anti-aircraft missile systems.

Ukrainian missile and artillery units struck 3 Russian personnel concentrations, an ammunition depot, a fuel and lubricants depot and one other important facility.

• Earlier it was reported that Russian occupation authorities in Melitopol are planning to organize "swear in the youth army" for children from all over the city, and in Mariupol, taking advantage of the humanitarian crisis, they are offering locals to erect military fortifications for food.