Defence forces repel attacks in northern part of Bakhmut – General Staff report

Ukraine's defence forces on Saturday repelled Russian attacks in the northern part of Bakhmut, while the city remains the epicentre of hostilities.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook

Details: The Russian Federation continues to conduct offensive operations on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Marinka and Shakhtarsk fronts. Bakhmut remains the epicentre of hostilities.

Unable to reach the desired result on the battlefield, the Russian Federation uses terror tactics against the civilian population. Shelling cities and villages, as well as critical infrastructure facilities, disregarding the norms of international humanitarian law.

Over the past 24 hours, Russian invaders carried out five missile strikes, four of them targeting the civilian infrastructure of the city of Zaporizhzhia.  Russian forces also carried out 12 airstrikes and conducted over 20 attacks using multiple-launch rocket systems. The probability of Russian missile strikes throughout the territory of Ukraine remains high.

There are no significant changes on the Volyn, Polissia, Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts. The Russians keep their units in the areas bordering Ukraine, but no signs of the Russians forming offensive groups have been detected.  Training of units of the territorial troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continues at the training grounds of the Republic of Belarus. On 17 and 18 March, invaders attacked the areas in and around the settlements of Oleksandrivka in Chernihiv Oblast; Kharkivka and Starikove – Sumy Oblast; Chervona Zoria, Veterynarne, Strilecha, Starytsia, Vovchansk and Velykyi Burluk in Kharkiv Oblast.

On the Kupiansk and Lyman fronts, Russian troops continued to try to break through Ukraine’s defence lines; they carried out unsuccessful offensive operations in the vicinity of Dibrova, Verkhnokamianske and Spirne. Areas of the following settlements came under Russian artillery fire: Putnykove, Krasne Pershe, Dvorichna, Hrianykivka, Kupiansk, Krokhmalne and Berestove in Kharkiv Oblast; Novoselivske, Nevske and Bilohorivka – in Luhansk Oblast, as well as Spirne and Fedorivka in Donetsk Oblast.

On the Bakhmut front, Russian forces kept trying to storm Bakhmut. Ukraine’s defenders repelled the occupiers' attacks near Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Hryhorivka and in the northern part of Bakhmut. In particular, Russian fire hit Vasiukivka, Zaliznianske, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Hryhorivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Chasiv Yar, Kurdiumivka, Ozarianivka and Pivnichne in Donetsk Oblast.

On the Avdiivka, Marinka, and Shakhtarsk fronts, Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive operations near Kamianka, Sieverne, Pervomaiske and Marinka. Kamianka, Lastochkyne, Avdiivka, Tonenke, Heorhiivka, Nevelske, Marinka, Vuhledar and Velyka Novosilka in Donetsk Oblast came under Russian fire.

On the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson fronts, Russian forces continue to hold their defensive positions. Occupiers attacked Olhivske, Chervone, Huliaipole, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanylivka, Novoandriivka and Kamianske in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The city of Kherson was shelled again.

Russian occupiers continue to use civilian facilities on the temporarily occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia Oblast for their own needs. In particular, Russians are using a school building in one of the settlements of Polohy district as a field hospital with 50 beds. In this way, the occupiers are trying to shorten the period of recovery of the wounded personnel.

In Rubizhne, Luhansk Oblast, the so-called local authorities are forcing the locals to obtain Russian citizenship.  Ukrainian passports are not yet taken away from people, but for employment there, you must have a passport of a Russian citizen.

Over the course of 17-18 March, the Air Force of Ukrainian Defence Forces conducted six strikes on the clusters of Russian military personnel.

During the current day, Ukraine's defenders shot down a Shakhed-136 UAV, while Rocket and Artillery forces struck seven areas of concentration of manpower and military equipment of the occupiers.

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