War update: Ukrainian forces repel about 70 enemy attacks in five directions

In the past 24 hours, Ukrainian defenders have repelled about 70 attacks by Russian invaders in the Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Shakhtarsk directions.

The relevant statement was made by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Russian troops launched 27 air strikes and opened fire with multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) 75 times. Peaceful settlements and civilians again were affected.

The threat of Russian missile and air strikes is persisting all over Ukraine.

In the Volyn, Polissia, Siverskyi and Slobozhanskyi directions, the situation remained rather unchanged. Russian troops continue maintaining their presence near Ukraine’s state border, training their reserve units, but no enemy offensive groupings were detected.

On February 24, 2023, the enemy launched mortar and artillery strikes on the Chernihiv region’s Mykhalchyna Sloboda, the Sumy region’s Yunakivka, Vodolahy and Boiaro-Lezhachi, as well as 23 settlements in the Kharkiv region, namely Lemishchyne, Oleksandrivka, Starytsia, Vovchansk, Vilkhuvatka, Ohirtseve and Bolohivka.

In the Kupiansk and Lyman directions, Russian troops were attempting to improve their tactical position near Masiutivka and drive Ukrainian forces out of the Serebrianske forestry. The enemy launched artillery strikes near 17 settlements, namely the Kharkiv region’s Hrianykivka, Kupiansk and Berestove, and the Luhansk region’s Stelmakhivka, Makiivka, Dibrova and Bilohorivka.

In the Bakhmut direction, Russian invaders continue attacking the positions of Ukrainian forces. The enemy launched several unsuccessful attacks near the Donetsk region’s Berkhivka, Ivanivske and Pivnichne. Russian troops are actively conducting air reconnaissance to adjust artillery fire. A total of 16 settlements came under enemy fire, including the Donetsk region’s Spirne, Vesele, Ivanivske, Bakhmut, Kurdiumivka and Ozarianivka.

In the Avdiivka and Shakhtarsk directions, Russian occupiers conducted unsuccessful offensive actions near Pervomaiske, Nevelske and Marinka. The enemy launched artillery strikes near 17 settlements, including Avdiivka, Vodiane, Prechystivka, Marinka, Vuhledar and Velyka Novosilka.

In the Zaporizhzhia direction, a total of 20 settlements came under enemy fire, namely the Donetsk region’s Vremivka and Novopil, and the the Zaporizhzhia region’s Olhivske, Huliaipole, Orikhiv and Bilohiria.

In the Kherson direction, Russian troops launched artillery strikes near 34 settlements in the Kherson region, including Dudchany, Beryslav, Sadove, Kachkarivka, Antonivka and Kherson.

According to the data from the General Staff, within the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region, Russian invaders are searching houses and seizing boats and other watercraft. Previously, such actions were taken before leaving the right-bank part of the Kherson region and in order to carry out sabotage actions.

Having destroyed over 80% of the housing stock in the Donetsk region’s Mariupol, Russian occupiers offers the victims of its attacks to get housing in the newly-built houses on the outskirts of the destroyed city. However, realizing that the documents confirming the ownership right were destroyed along with the housing, Russian invaders cynically put forward their presence as a mandatory requirement for obtaining a new housing.

Forced mobilization efforts continue in Russia’s Chechen Republic. On February 23, 2023, in order to prevent potential sabotage and desertions from the front line, up to 200 police officers from the Akhmat special-purpose regiment were additionally sent to the Bakhmut direction.

Over the past day, Ukraine’s Defense Forces have destroyed Russia’s Mi-24 attack helicopter and four enemy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), namely one Orlan-10, one Zala and two Lancet-3 loitering munitions. The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched 20 strikes on enemy personnel and military equipment clusters and two strikes on Russian air defense missile system positions. The Ukrainian missile and artillery units hit one Russian command post, two enemy personnel clusters and three ammunition depots.

Photo: Kostiantyn Liberov