Units of the Russian Armed Forces in Mariupol
As of April 2, the situation on the frontline remains without major changes with the most intense fighting has been ongoing in Mariupol city. Russian troops and DPR units have been carrying out the final stage of the operation to secure the city. The remaining members of Kyiv’s forces focused their defense in city port and Azovstal Plant areas.
In own area of operations, units of the Lugansk People’s Republic continued their advance on positions of the Ukrainian 57th Infantry Brigade seeking to block Borovskoe from the east and south. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, up to 30 Ukrainian nationalists and 5 armoured vehicles were destroyed in recent clashes there.
Intense artillery duels were also reported around Gorlovka and Avdeevka. Nonetheless, no active offensive actions took place there.
Besides these, forces of Russia and the people’s republics of the Donbass are working to set conditions for a large advance on the defense line of Kyiv’s forces in Slovyanks, Kramatorks and Bahmut. After securing the key area of Izum in the south of Kharkiv Region, the lack of control over the Lysichansk-Severodonetsk agglomeration remains the main obstacle in the area.
Russian forces in Mariupol:
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At th same time, the Russian military continues its preceise strikes on military targets in Ukraine. On April 2, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that over 100 members of pro-Kyiv forces were eliminated in the recent strike on a military HQ in Kharkiv city.
“Iskander precision strike on the defence headquarters in Kharkov city on Thursday, March 31, confirmed the killing of more than 100 nationalists and mercenaries from Western countries,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The Russian side also revealed details on fresh strikes on military infrastructure of Ukraine indicating that the Ukrainian leadership should not expect calm in this field any time soon.
The defense ministry noted that Russian forces carried out a strike with high-precision air-based missiles on targets near the railway Lozovaya and Pavlograd stations. The strike destroyed armoured vehicles, ammunition and fuel tanks sent to reinforce the Ukrainian troops in Donbass.
Meanwhile, the Mirgorod military airfield in Poltava Region has also been taken out of action and several Ukrainian combat helicopters and aircraft found in its camouflaged car parks, as well as fuel and aviation weapons depots have been destroyed.
According to the Russians, during the day of April 2, their operational-tactical aviation hit 28 military assets of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Among them: 2 depots of missile and artillery weapons and ammunition, as well as 23 areas of concentration of Ukrainian weapons and military equipment.
The Russian side noted that since the start of the operation, Russian forces have destroyed 125 aircfaft and 88 helicopters, 381 unmanned aerial vehicles, 1,888 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 205 multiple launch rocket systems, 793 field artillery and mortars, as well as 1,771 units of special military vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In general, it seems that Russia-led forces are currently mostly focused on regrouping and resupplying their units as well as securing Mariupol city. Therefore, the next stage of the Russian advance in the east of Ukraine will likely take place only after the full liberation of Mariupol and expected inability of Moscow and Kyiv to find a comprehensive diplomatic solution of the conflict in the next round of talks.
Russia delivers aid to civilians in Kherson city:
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