Russian assault on eastern Ukraine begins – General Staff

Kateryna Tyschenko — Monday, 18 April 2022, 18:52

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is noting signs that the Russian assault operation in eastern Ukraine has begun.

Source: General Staff of Ukraine in its update as at 6 pm on 18 April 2022

Quote: "Signs of the beginning of an assault operation in the Eastern operational zone are being recorded.

In the Slobozhansk and Donetsk operational districts, the aggressor has activated assault and storming efforts."

Details: In the Donetsk and Tavriia areas, the Russian occupation forces continue to concentrate their resources on capturing the settlements of Lyman, Kreminna, Popasna, and Rubizhne, as well as to establish full control of the city of Mariupol.

In Mariupol, intensive fighting is continuing, with the Russian forces storming the seaport district.

The Russians have also activated their assault efforts near Severodonetsk, Popasna, Kurakhove, and Zaporizhzhia. To enhance their efforts, the Russian forces are bringing in additional tank and artillery subunits.

The General Staff of Ukraine reports that to increase their assault capabilities, the occupiers continue to form additional subunits on the territory of the Rostov Oblast (region), Russian Federation, and in the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Russia plans to deploy these subunits to support the military action of the main forces, as a second echelon and to guard administrative buildings and important infrastructure in the captured territories. According to the available information, the tentative deadline to complete the formation of these subunits is 24 April 2022.

In the Slobozhansk area, Russian forces from separate subdivisions of the 6th Combined Arms Army of the Western Military District and from coastal troops of the Baltic and Northern Fleets continue to partially blockade the city of Kharkiv and destroy residential areas of the city with artillery fire.

Around Izyum, the Russian forces are deploying separate subdivisions from the 1st Tank Army, the 20th Combined Arms Army of the Western Military District, the 35th and 68th Combined Arms armies of the Eastern Military District, and airborne troops. Further attempts to advance along the Izyum-Slovyansk and Izyum-Barvinkove lines are expected.

Near the national border of Ukraine, in Belgorod Oblast, Russians have been spotted laying down helicopter pads.

The General Staff also does not exclude the possibility of provocations on behalf of the Russian Federation, using military aircraft in parts of Russia bordering on Ukraine to hit civilian targets.

In the Pivdennobuzkiy area, separate subunits of the Russian occupation forces continue to concentrate their efforts on holding the lines and targeting the Ukrainian Armed Forces with artillery fire. The Russians are persistent in their attempts to establish full control over the territory of Kherson Oblast (region), repeatedly assaulting the settlement of Oleksandrivka, so far unsuccessfully.

The Russian naval forces stationed in the Black and Azov Seas continue to isolate the Ukrainian coast and to gather intelligence.

On the Volyn, Polissya, and Siverskyi fronts, no changes in Russian military activities have been observed.