Russians fight in civilian clothes, bring reinforcements, strengthen air defence - summary of the General Staff
OLENA ROSCHINA - TUESDAY, 12 APRIL, 2022, 07:19
PHOTO OF THE GENERAL STAFF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF UKRAINE
On the 48th day of the war, Russian troops partially blockaded Kharkiv, have tightened air defences near the cities of Melitopol and Ilovaisk, are trying to take control of Mariupol and Popasna, and are attempting to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk and Kherson regions, while Ukrainian troops are resisting and destroying military equipment of the invaders.
Source: Operative information of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 6 am on 12 April
Details: The Russian Army is trying to complete the regrouping and relocation of units to the Belgorod and Voronezh regions of the Russian Federation, as well as the relocation of air and space forces to airfields in the immediate vicinity of Ukraine's eastern borders.
The Russian occupiers, ignoring the norms of international humanitarian law, continue to use tactics of placing equipment and troops in civilian areas. This is how the occupiers are using the premises of agricultural enterprises, energy and social infrastructure facilities, and the central districts of settlements in the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
Cases of Russian occupiers fighting in civilian clothes have been reported.
On the Volyn and Polissya fronts, Russian invaders did not take active action. No changes in the position and actions of Russian units in these areas have been recorded.
On the Siversk front, the Russian military is finalising the redeployment of individual units to the eastern operational zone. Units of the 41st General Army of the Central Military District are being relocated to designated areas in the Belgorod and Voronezh regions of Russia.
On the Slobozhansky front, Russian troops continue to partially blockade the city of Kharkiv. Separate Russian occupiers’ units of the 1st Tank and 20th General Army are fighting in the area of the city of Izyum. The invaders are carrying out air reconnaissance in order to identify the positions of Ukrainian troops and determine the routes of their advancement.
On the Donetsk and Tavriya fronts, Russian invading forces from the Southern Military District are fighting and holding certain frontiers. Additional units are arriving to conduct hostilities on the territory of Ukraine.
There are signs of strengthening the air defence system in the areas of Melitopol and Ilovaisk.
It is likely that in the future Russian invaders will try to take control of the city of Mariupol, capture the city of Popasna and launch an offensive in the direction of the town of Kurakhove in order to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk region.
On the South Bug front, units of the Southern Military District of the Russian Army are holding certain frontiers. They are replenishing regular losses of troops and equipment. They are trying to ensure the survival of their own control centres. The Russian occupiers do not stop trying to gain a foothold on the administrative borders of Kherson region.
In the waters of the Black and Azov Seas, Russian naval forces continue to perform tasks related to the isolation of the area from hostilities, reconnaissance, and fire support of ground units.
The threat of the invader’s use of missile weapons remains.
Quote by the General Staff: "In the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, our soldiers have repulsed six enemy attacks in the past 24 hours, destroyed four tanks, five armoured units, twenty-six vehicles and eight enemy artillery systems.
The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has hit seven air targets in the previous day: one plane, two helicopters and four unmanned aerial vehicles."
