Five enemy aircraft destroyed in Donetsk region in 10 days

"In Melitopol direction, the soldiers of the Tavria operational-strategic group of troops had partial success southwest of Verbove, we advanced up to 400 m in the specified areas. The enemy continues its offensive activities, launching two missile strikes and 29 airstrikes, conducting 34 combat engagements and carrying out 930 artillery strikes over the past 24 hours. Most of these combat engagements [happened] in the areas of Avdiyivka and, even more, Maryinka. So, the enemy continues to try to encircle Avdiyivka with the support of aviation. Over the past day, our soldiers repelled three enemy attacks and shot down another Su-25 enemy attack aircraft. This is already the fifth aircraft shot down in Donetsk region over the past 10 days," Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun, the spokesperson for the joint press center of the defense forces of Tavria direction, said during the United News telethon.

According to him, the occupiers also made futile attempts to go on the offensive in the areas of Novokalynove and Pervomayskyi.

Speaking about the situation in Maryinka direction, Shtupun said: "In Maryinka direction, the aggressor has intensified activity. Our defenders repelled 17 enemy attacks over the past day – this is only in Maryinka area, and another four near Novomykhaylivka. In Shakhtarske direction, the defense forces hit the enemy near Novomayorske, Donetsk region, and also continue to hold back the enemy in the areas of Novodarivka and east of Mala Tokmachka in Zaporizhzhia region.

Commenting on the situation near Avdiyivka, Shtupun emphasized that the enemy was trying to use attack aircraft here being forced to fly closer to the front line, which allows the defense forces to destroy enemy aircraft.