Enemy trying to go on offensive in Bakhmut and Avdiivka directions

This is stated in the report by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 06:00, October 17, published on Facebook.

As noted, the enemy tries to hold the temporarily captured territories, restrain the actions of Ukraine’s Defense Forces in certain directions, and go on the offensive in Bakhmut and Avdiivka directions.

The enemy shells the Ukrainian positions along the entire contact line, reinforce its defensive positions and lines in certain directions, conducts aerial reconnaissance, hits critical infrastructure and civilian houses, violating the norms of international humanitarian law, the laws and customs of war.

Over the past day, the enemy launched two missile strikes, 26 airstrikes, more than 80 MLRS attacks.

The enemy hit more than 20 settlements, including Bilopillia in Sumy region, Slovyansk, Pavlivka, Novosilka in Donetsk region, Marhanets in Dnipropetrovsk region, Pravdyne and Bilohirka in Kherson region. The enemy attacked Mykolaiv with 15 kamikaze drones. Eleven of them were shot down by Ukrainian defenders.

In Volyn, Polissia, and Siversky directions, the situation remains unchanged. There is still a threat of missile strikes and airstrikes, as well as the use of Shahed-136 combat drones, from the territory of the Republic of Belarus.

The enemy opened fire in the following directions:

Slobozhansky direction: mortars, tube and rocket artillery were fired in the areas of Veterynarne, Vysoka Yaruha, Vovchansk, Vovchanski Khutory, Hatyshche, Dvorichne, Zelene, Kozacha Lopan, Krasne, and Ohirtseve settlements of Kharkiv region;

Kramatorsk direction: tanks, tube and rocket artillery were fired in the areas of Berestove, Petropavlivka, Pershotravneve settlements of Kharkiv region; Hrekivka and Novoyehorivka in Luhansk region; Zarichne, Terny, Torske, and Yampolivka in Donetsk region;

Bakhmut direction: tanks and rocket artillery were fired in the areas of Andriivka, Bakhmut, Bakhmutske, Bilohorivka, Vesele, Opytne, Soledar, and Yakovlivka settlements of Donetsk region;

Avdiivka direction: tanks, tube and rocket artillery were fired near Berdychi, Vodiane, Krasnohorivka, Marinka, Nevelske, Novomykhailivka, and Pervomaiske settlements of Donetsk region.

The enemy did not conduct offensive operations in Novopavlivka and Zaporizhzhia directions. The areas of Bohoyavlenka, Velyka Novosilka, Volodymyrivka, Vuhledar and Paraskoviivka settlements of Donetsk region came under artillery fire.

In Southern Buh direction, more than 25 settlements along the contact line, particularly Nikopol and Novokamyanka in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ternovi Pody, Partyzanske, Shyroke in Mykolaiv region, and Myrne in Kherson region, came under fire.

The occupiers try to replenish their manpower losses by massively mobilizing men in the temporarily occupied territories.

Over the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian troops repelled the Russian attacks in the areas of Torske, Spirne, Soledar, Bakhmut, Mayorsk, Vodiane, Krasnohorivka, Marinka and Novomykhailivka settlements of Donetsk region.

The Ukrainian air defense units launched more than 30 strikes in the past 24 hours. It has been confirmed that 25 areas of enemy weapons and military equipment build-up, as well as six positions of enemy air defense missile systems, were hit. Moreover, the Ukrainian air defense units shot down fifteen enemy UAVs.

Ukraine’s missile and artillery hit forces two command posts, one air defense position, and one ammunition depot over the past day.

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