Occupiers fail to advance deep into Ukraine in eastern direction

“As of 20:00, the situation in the Donetsk operational district is tense, but controlled by the Joint Forces. The shelling by the Russian occupation forces continues. All military units are fiercely resisting the Russian invasion, and Ukrainian soldiers are showing unprecedented courage and heroism. The Joint Forces were able to thwart the Kremlin’s plan of rapid offensive,” the press service of the Joint Forces Operation area posted on Facebook.

According to the press service, despite numerous enemy attacks, aircraft, artillery and missile strikes, as well as a large number of armored vehicles, the enemy was unable to advance deep into Ukraine in the eastern direction. The Ukrainian military managed to repel attacks, defend and hold all key settlements and infrastructure facilities.

The Joint Forces Operation headquarters also reported that the fiercest battles in Luhansk direction over the day were fought for Shchastia, Stanytsia Luhanska, Lobacheve, Bilovodsk, Starobilsk. In the battles for Shchastia, two enemy tanks were destroyed, a tank and one ZU-23-2 system were captured.

In the area of occupied Sentianivka, Ukrainian artillery units stopped an enemy mixed column of armored vehicles, Grad systems and vehicles.

In Donetsk direction, the tensest situation was in the area of Novotroitske, Novohnativka, Pavlopiv, and Pyshchevyk.

“As of now, the enemy made no new attempts to break through, there is a decrease in fire activity in some areas,” the press service informs.

As reported, head of the aggressor country Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of “a special military operation in Donbas”.

At about 04:00, February 24, Russia attacked Ukraine and launched war.

On the morning of February 24, the Verkhovna Rada approved a presidential decree on the imposition of martial law throughout Ukraine.