Russians have concentrated up to 40 helicopters near border with Kharkiv region - General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

DENYS KARLOVSKY — WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022, 18:58

The Russian occupiers have concentrated up to 40 Mi-24 and Mi-8 attack and transport helicopters on the territory of Belgorod Oblast in close proximity to the state border with Ukraine.

Source: evening summary of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for 4 May 

Quote: "The enemy continues to conduct offensive operations in the Eastern Operational Zone.

The Command of the Russian troops is trying to increase the pace of the offensive in the east of Ukraine in order to reach the administrative borders of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, as well as to develop the offensive in the Zaporizhzhia and Kryvyi Rih directions.

On the Izyum front, the occupiers are trying to seize the initiative and are conducting offensive operations on the Izyum – Barvinkove ​​frontline. To this end, the enemy is shelling the positions of our troops around the settlements of Hrushuvakha, Nova Dmytrivka and Kurulka.

In addition, the enemy has concentrated up to 40 Mi-24 and Mi-8 attack and transport helicopters in the Belgorod region in close proximity to the state border of Ukraine.

Details: An enemy grouping is operating on the Slobozhansky front, consisting of separate units of the 6th Combined Arms Army of the Western Military District, the 41st Combined Arms Army of the Central Military District and coastal troops of the Baltic and Northern Fleets.

In addition, on the Valuysky front of the Belgorod region, the Russians deployed an auxiliary command post of the 36th Combined Arms Army of the Eastern District.

The occupiers continue to inflict air and artillery strikes on Kharkiv.

On the Donetsk front, the main efforts of the enemy are concentrated on conducting an offensive against the settlements of Lyman, Orikhove, Popasna, Velyka Novosilka, Huliaipol, Komyshuvakha and Orikhiv.

In Lyman in the Donetsk region, the Russian invaders unsuccessfully tried to gain a foothold in Aleksandrovka throughout the day. On the Severodonetsk front, they advanced on Voevodovka, but were not successful. Near Popasna, the Russians tried to capture Orikhiv, but failed.

In order to tie down the Ukrainian defence forces, the Russian occupiers are shelling along the entire frontline. In Avdiivka, Kramatorsk, Severodonetsk, Mariupol and Huliaipol air strikes are being carried out.

On the Novopavlovsk front (administrative border between Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Dnipro regions), the invaders fought near Novosilky, but suffered losses and retreated.

On the South Buzh and Tauride fronts, the invaders, using individual units of the 8th and 49th Combined Arms Armies, the 22nd Army Corps, coastal troops of the Black Sea Fleet, and airborne troops, are conducting combat operations in order to hold temporarily occupied territories and create conditions for intensifying operations in Kherson, Mikolaiv, Kherson and Krivyi Rih.

On the northern borders, Ukrainian intelligence has recorded operations to cover the border by the armed forces of Belarus. In the southern regions of the Gomel region, the Belarusian military deployed additional air defence systems. Training in the use of electronic warfare units was also carried out. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine does not rule out provocative actions at the border.

On the border of the Sumy region with Russia, the invaders are holding units from the 90th Tank Army of the Central Military District in order to keep the reserves of the Ukrainian army on this front and prevent their transfer to the eastern front. The General Staff does not exclude the shelling of the nearby territories of the Sumy region by these units.

In the Black Sea, the Russian fleet now has three carriers of Kalibr-type cruise missiles. In the waters of the Black and Azov Seas, a group of vessels belonging to the Russian Black Sea Fleet continues to carry out tasks to isolate the area of ​​combat operations, and carry out reconnaissance and fire support in the coastal direction. General Staff notes the possibility of involving a specified ship composition or delivering missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine.

Background:

• On the night of 4 May, the Russians carried out about 20 attacks on villages in the Sumy region, which are located in close proximity to the border with Russia.

• Russian warships in the Black Sea have begun using anti-ship missiles against land targets due to lack of ammunition.

As of the morning of 4 May, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have killed 24,500 Russian soldiers, destroyed more than 300 drones, more than 2,600 armoured combat vehicles, almost 200 aircraft and 155 helicopters.