Russian troops preparing to resume assault on Sloviansk - General Staff

According to Ukrinform, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said this in its latest war update on Facebook.

As of 06:00 on May 22, Russian forces continued to conduct offensive operations in the Eastern Operational Zone.

The enemy continues to launch missile and air strikes on Ukrainian territory and began to use more aircraft in order to destroy the critical infrastructure of settlements in the area of active hostilities.

In the Volyn and Polissia directions, units of the Belarusian armed forces intensified reconnaissance activity. The deployment of additional means of electronic intelligence in the border areas of the Gomel region was recorded.

The threat remains of missile and air strikes being launched from Belarus on targets in Ukraine.

In the Sivershchyna direction, Russian troops continue to shell settlements and infrastructure in the Sumy and Chernihiv regions. The invaders fired in the areas of Boiaro-Lezhachi, Ulytsia, Buniakine, Hirky, Hremiach and Muravyi.

In the Slobozhanshchyna direction, the enemy involves separate units of the 6th Combined Arms Army of the Western Military District and the Baltic Fleet in order to keep their positions in the Kharkiv direction and prevent Ukrainian troops from reaching the state border.

According to the General Staff, enemy forces are preparing to resume an offensive in the Sloviansk direction. Russian troops carried out artillery shelling in the areas of the settlements of Vernopillia, Dibrivne and Dovhenke.

In the Belgorod region, the enemy deployed Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile systems. In addition, the system of logistics and repair bases is being increased.

In the Donetsk area, Russian invaders are trying to break through the defense lines of Ukrainian troops and reach the administrative borders of the Luhansk region.

The enemy carried out air strikes on civilian infrastructure in the areas of Vrubivka and Bakhmut.

The enemy did not conduct active hostilities in the Lyman direction. Russian forces fired on infrastructure facilities outside the settlements of Lyman, Ozerne, Zakitne, Dibrova and Serebrianka.

In the Sievierodonetsk direction, using mortars and artillery, Russian troops fired on the positions of the Ukrainian defense forces along the entire line of contact, concentrating their efforts in the direction of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk.

The enemy conducted offensive and assault operations in the areas of Oskolonivka, Purdivka, Shchedryshcheve and Smolianinove. Ukrainian defenders repulsed the offensive, the enemy suffered losses and was forced to retreat to previous positions.

In the Bakhmut direction, with the support of artillery, the enemy tried to improve the tactical situation in the areas of the settlements of Trypillia, Lypove and Vasylivka, and fighting continues.

In the Avdiivka direction, Russian troops suffered casualties in the Krasnohorivka area.

In the Kurakhove direction, the invaders conducted assault operations near Marinka, but with no success.

The enemy shelled Novomykhailivka and Volodymyrivka. Air strikes were launched on the settlements of Mykilske and Katerynivka.

In the Novopavlivka and Zaporizhzhia directions, the enemy tried to dig in, shelling the positions of the Ukrainian defense forces and civilian infrastructure.

In the Southern Buh direction, Russian troops did not conduct active hostilities. The main efforts are concentrated on keeping the positions already occupied, conducting reconnaissance and fortifying positions.

In the Donetsk and Luhansk directions, Ukrainian defenders repulsed nine enemy attacks in the past 24 hours, destroying five tanks, four artillery systems, ten armored fighting vehicles and two motor vehicles of the Russian Federation.

A Russian Orlan-10 drone was struck by Ukrainian air defense units.

Anti-aircraft missile units of the Ukrainian Air Force shot down two cruise missiles, and attack aircraft destroyed 12 military vehicles of the enemy.