Ukrainian Air Force launched 11 strikes on Russian invaders - General Staff
The Ukrainian Air Force launched 11 strikes on Russian positions throughout the day.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said this in an update as of 18:00 on April 23, Ukrinform reports.
“Aircraft of the Defense Forces launched 11 strikes on the areas where occupiers’ personnel and military equipment were concentrated. In addition, two enemy reconnaissance UAVs of the Merlin type and one Orlan-10 were shot down,” the report says.
The General Staff noted that the Russian Federation is not abandoning its plans to seize the territory of Ukraine. It continues to ignore international humanitarian law, strikes and fires not only at the positions of Ukrainian troops, but also at the civilian infrastructure of populated areas, terrorizing civilians.
Throughout the day, the enemy launched 28 airstrikes and carried out about 10 attacks using multiple launch rocket systems on Ukrainian positions and populated areas. Civilian casualties have been reported, as well as destroyed and damaged private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure.
The threat of missile attacks and airstrikes across the entire territory of Ukraine remains high.
"The enemy is focusing its main efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Maryinka directions. Units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine repelled more than 45 enemy attacks on the indicated sectors of the front during the day. The fiercest battles for Bakhmut and Maryinka are ongoing," the General Staff said.
In the Volyn and Polissia directions, the operational situation has not changed. There were no signs of offensive groups’ formation. Certain units of the Belarusian Armed Forces continue to perform tasks in the districts bordering Ukraine. Some units of Russian territorial troops are remaining on the territory of Belarus.
In the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna directions, the enemy continues to keep a certain number of troops in the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions bordering Ukraine. Throughout the day, they shelled the settlements of Chervona Zoria in Sumy region, as well as Hoptivka, Zelene, Neskuchne, Budarky, Milove, and Krasne Pershe in Kharkiv region.
In the Kupiansk direction, the settlements of Dvorichna, Hrianykivka, Masiutivka, Liman Pershyi, Kyslivka, and Berestove in Kharkiv region came under enemy artillery fire.
In the Lyman direction, the invaders did not carry out offensive operations. Settlements near the contact line, Makiivka, Nevske, Bilohorivka in Luhansk region and Dibrova, Verkhniokamianske, Spirne in Donetsk region, came under Russian artillery fire.
In the Bakhmut direction, the enemy continues to conduct offensive operations. Heavy fighting for Bakhmut is ongoing. Throughout the day, the enemy conducted unsuccessful offensive operations near Hryhorivka and Bohdanivka settlements. Vasiukivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Markove, Hryhorivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Chasiv Yar, Novodmytrivka, Kostyantynivka and New York in Donetsk region came under enemy shelling.
In the Avdiivka direction, Russian troops carried out offensive operations in the areas of Novokalynove and Pervomaisk in Donetsk region, but had no success and suffered heavy losses. Novokalynove, Avdiivka, Lastochkyne, Pervomaiske, Karlivka and Nevelske in Donetsk region came under enemy strikes.
In the Maryinka direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled numerous enemy attacks in the northern and central parts of Maryinka settlement, as well as near Novomykhailivka in Donetsk region. At the same time, the settlements of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Maryinka, Novomykhailivka and Paraskoviivka in Donetsk region were subjected to enemy shelling.
In the Shakhtarsk direction, the enemy did not conduct offensive operations. Russian forces shelled the settlements of Bohoiavlenka, Novoukrainka, Vuhledar, Zolota Nyva, Velyka Novosilka in Donetsk region.
In the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia directions, the invaders continue to conduct defensive operations. More than 35 settlements came under enemy strikes, including Vremivka of Donetsk region; Malynivka, Huliaipole, Zaliznychne, Huliaipilske, Bilohirya, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanylivka, Novoandriivka and Kamianske of Zaporizhzhia region; Zolota Balka, Beryslav, Vesele, Ivanivka, Inzhenerne, Antonivka, Dniprovske, Veletenske, Kizomys of Kherson region and the city of Kherson.
The General Staff reported that Russian troops are suffering heavy losses on the battlefield. All medical facilities in the temporarily occupied territory are full of wounded invaders. The enemy is forced to use educational institutions in temporarily captured territories for their own purposes.
"In the village of Mistky, Luhansk region, the invaders re-equipped a local school into a military hospital. There are a large number of wounded Russians. In addition, the occupiers have a shortage of medicines and dressing materials in all medical facilities," the report says.
As Ukrinform reported, from February 24, 2022 to April 23, 2023, the Defense Forces of Ukraine eliminated about 186,420 Russian aggressors.
Photo: Defense Ministry, Facebook