Occupiers enter all-night curfew near Melitopol and in Berdiansk and fortify Mariupol

Russian invaders have introduced an all-night curfew for the New Year holidays near occupied Melitopol and in Berdiansk (Zaporizhzhia Oblast); moreover, they are bringing fortifications and air defence systems to Mariupol (Donetsk Oblast). 

Source: RIA Melitopol news outlet; Petro Andriushchenko, adviser to the Mayor of Mariupol

Details: Despite Yevhen Balytskyi, the Russian-appointed puppet leader, reassuring people recently that the curfew would not change for the New Year’s, the Russians started announcing the introduction of a round-the-clock curfew in various districts in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast on 16 December.  

Thus, the occupation authorities told the residents of the settlement of Chernihivka that there would be an all-night curfew with the prohibition of leaving their houses starting from 25 December 2022. They told farmers that it was necessary to finish the work by this time. 

Occupiers in Berdiansk warned the locals that there would be the round-the-clock curfew from 30 December 2022 to 3 January 2023. 

There are no official explanations. However, people are told that this is related to the strengthening of measures for fighting "saboteurs and terrorists". 

The Russian invaders started taking such measures after explosions on bridges, presumably arranged by Ukrainian forces. 

Nevertheless, Andriushchenko has reported that the Russians have again intensified transfers of military equipment through Mariupol towards Berdiansk and Melitopol. They are transferring armoured vehicles, howitzers, artillery systems, lorries with soldiers inside – and those loaded with cannons – to Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The equipment is marked with Z letters at the moment; prior to this, these were marked with V or V in a square.  

Instead, they are bringing dragon’s teeth [concrete anti-tank fortifications – ed.] to Mariupol from Russia and occupied Crimea all the time. 

Manhush, a city near Mariupol, is covered by a Buk air defence system. The number of Russian soldiers and militants of the "DPR" [self-proclaimed and non-recognised Donetsk People’s Republic – ed.] is increasing rapidly there. 

Units of OMON [Special Purpose Mobile Unit within the National Guard of Russia – ed.] from Saint Petersburg arrived in Mariupol; they started patrolling the streets, supposedly in order to prevent large protests because of the growing upset in the society.

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