War update: Ukraine's General Staff reveals areas where fiercest battles continue
That’s according to an evening update delivered by the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Ukrinform reports.
The invaders continue to focus their main efforts on conducting offensive actions in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Maryinka directions. Ukraine's Defense Forces repelled over 30 Russian attacks.
Throughout the day, Ukrainian Air Force carried out a total of six strikes on enemy manpower and equipment clusters.
Rocket and artillery units, for their part, struck eight clusterso, a fuel depot, two anti-aircraft missile systems, an artillery unit in a firing position, as well as an EW station.
The Russians carried out five missile strikes and 12 air raids, as well as more than 20 attacks involving MLR systems.
"Failing to achieve the desired results on the battlefield, the enemy continues to cynically terrorize peaceful citizens of our country," the General Staff said.
On March 31, the Russian army struck civilian objects in Zaporizhia and other populated areas of Ukraine, employing ballistic missiles. In their attack, the enemy also used six Shahed-136 type one-way attack drones, all of which were destroyed by Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
It is highly likely that the invaders will pursue the tactic of launching missile and air strikes targeting the entire territory of Ukraine.
The operational situation has undergone no significant changes in the Volyn, Polissia, Sivershchyna, and Slobozhanshchyna directions. Belarusian specops forces have completed the drills.
At the same time, Belarusian top political leadership continues to enable Russian aggression, providing its air space and territory to the enemy forces. Russian recruits are undergoing further training on Belarusian soil. No signs of any offensive groupings being formed were spotted.
The invaders continue to maintain their military presence in the areas of Kursk and Belgorod regions bordering Ukraine.
Baranivka of Chernihiv region, Sosnivka, Volfyne, Kindrativka, Novomykolaivka, Popivka and Oleksandrivka of Sumy region, as well as Veterinarne, Hoptivka, Strelecha, Hlyboke, Bochkove, and Budarky of Kharkiv region came under enemy shelling.
Kamianka, Fiholivka, Synkivka, and Krokhmalne of Kharkiv region, as well as Novoselivske of Luhansk region, were struck by Russian fire on the Kupiansk axis.
On the Lyman axis, throughout the day, the Russians have launched unsuccessful offensive efforts near Makiivka, Kreminna, Dibrova, and Bilohorivka and in the area of Serebriansk Forestry. The settlements of Nevske, Dibrova, and Bilohorivka of Luhansk region, as well as Spirne of Donetsk region, suffered from enemy artillery strikes.
On the Bakhmut axis, Russian troops continue to storm the city of Bakhmut, trying to seize control over it. The enemy attacked Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Novomarkovo, Hryhorivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivsk, Ozaryanivka, and Maiorsk of Donetsk region.
In the Avdiivka and Marinka directions, the invaders were on an offensive near Novobakhmutivka, Avdiivka, and Pervomaiske – with no success. Stepove, Tonenka, Maryinka, and Novomykhailivka of Donetsk region were also shelled.
In the past day, in the Shakhtarske direction, the Russians actively used drones to adjust artillery fire, and struck Vodiane, Vuhledar, Velyka Novosilka, Krasnohorivka, and Novosilka in Donetsk region.
In the Zaporizhia and Kherson directions, Russian troops ran no active operations, improving their defensive lines and fortifying positions. Vremivka and Novosilka of Donetsk region, Olhivske, Hulyaipole, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilivka, Orikhiv, Mali Shcherbaky, and Stepnohirsk of Zaporizhia region, as well as Kherson, came under Russian shelling.
According to the General Staff, the trend is being observed of groups of Russian military personnel deserting from combat units.
It was established that in the temporarily occupied Starobilsk district of Luhansk region, the invaders are on a hunt for 50 deserters.
As Ukrinform reported, overnight Friday, March 31, the Russian army attacked Ukraine from the north, launching 10 Shahed-136/131 one-way attack drones. About five other targets, believed to be balloons, were also recorded in the Ukrainian sky.
