The Armed Forces of belarus have begun military exercises to work out the issue of “liberation of captured territories” – the General Staff of the AFU

What happened? In the Volynia and Polesia directions, military exercises have begun on the territory of belarus, during which it is planned to work out the issue of “liberation of captured territories”. The threat of missile and air strikes on the territory of Ukraine from the republic of belarus remains.

Source. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Details. In total, over the past 24 hours, the enemy has carried out 45 air and 5 missile strikes. The settlements of Kostiantynivka, Tsyrkuny, Radushne, and Kharkiv were affected. There are casualties among the civilian population.

In the Siveria direction, the intensity of shelling by the enemy has significantly decreased. In other directions, the infrastructure continued to suffer from the enemy strikes, namely:

• in the Kharkiv direction, the enemy attacked from cannon and rocket artillery in the areas of Udy, Sosnivka, Duvanka, Tsupivka, Prudianka, Dementiyivka, Velyki Prohody, Pytomnyk, Ruski Tyshky, Petrivka, Peremoha, Bayrak and Kostiantynivka settlements;
• in the Slovyansk direction – in the areas of Dolyna, Krasnopillia, Slovyansk and Mykilske settlements;
• in the Kramatorsk sector – in the vicinity of Bohorodychne, Novomykolayivka, Serebrianka, Siversk, Verkhniokamyanske, Ivano-Daryivka, Spirne, Rozdolivka and Hryhorivka settlements;
• in the Bakhmut sector – Yakovlivka, Soledar, Bakhmutske, Bakhmut, Vesela Dolyna, Zaytseve, New York and Vesele settlements came under fire;
• in the Avdiyivka sector – shelling was recorded in the vicinity of Kamyanka, Avdiyivka, Pervomayske, Vodiane and Opytne;
• on the Novopavlivka axis – near Maryinka, Paraskoviyivka, Novomykhaylivka, Velyka Novosilka, Novoukrayinka, Prechystivka and Mykilske; 
• on the Zaporizhzhia axis – in the areas of Novopil, Vremivka, Poltavka, Zaliznychne, Chervone, Novoandriyivka and Orihiv settlements;
• in the Southern Buh direction – not far from Arkhanhelske, Novovoznesenske, Myroliubivka, Novovoskresenske, Bilohirka, Novohryhorivka, Shevchenkove, Liubomyrivka, Ternovi Pody, Stepova Dolyna, Myrne, Olhyne, Oleksandrivka and Tavriyske settlements.

In certain areas of Kherson Oblast, the occupiers are turning to the tactics of terrorist actions against local civilians. The General Staff associats this with the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Thus, according to available information, in Velyka Oleksandrivka settlement, the occupiers are using the locals as a “human shield”, the village is closed for entry and exit.

The counteroffensive in the Kharkiv direction is also being conducted – the Armed Forces of Ukraine advanced almost 50 km in 3 days. Some enemy units suffered significant losses due to active hostilities. The occupiers are trying to evacuate wounded personnel and damaged military equipment to the areas of Vilkhuvatka and Borodoyarske settlements. 

Moreover, servicemen of the russian federation are changing into civilian clothes and resorting to desertion. They are trying to return to the territory of the russian federation. More than 15 such cases were recorded by the General Staff over the past day.

At the same time, units of the Defence Forces repulse the enemy attacks and prevent him from advancing. Our defenders successfully repelled the enemy's offensive towards Udy, Kostiantynivka, Virnopillia, Ploske, Mayorsk, Bezimenne and Kamyanka.

The Ukrainian aviation, together with the ground units, also do not give a rest to the russians – they carried out more than 20 strikes on 2 platoon strongholds, 15 areas of concentration of manpower and military equipment. The Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed 3 anti-aircraft missile systems, 4 UAVs and a Ka-52 helicopter. Enemy casualties are being clarified.

Previously. Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the return of Balakliya under the control of Ukraine. Fighters of the Kraken special forces unit reported on the liberation of the city.