Prepared by Denis Bogush, military and political expert, International Headquarters for Assistance to Ukrainians
General description of the situation. Russia launched a war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022 (56th day of the war). The enemy continues to carry out preparatory measures to intensify offensive operations in eastern Ukraine to establish full control over the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Today, April 20, the fifty-sixth day of the heroic opposition of the Ukrainian people to the Russian military invasion has begun.
In the Volyn and Polissya directions, the enemy did not take active action. Certain units of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus continue to carry out tasks to cover the Ukrainian- Belarusian border in Brest and Gomel regions.
In the Seversky direction (Chernihiv) there were no signs of the enemy forming a strike group to resume offensive operations. Measures of engineering equipment of bases in the border areas with Ukraine are underway.
In the Slobozhansky direction (Kharkiv) the enemy regroups and replenishes reserves. The partial blockade of Kharkiv and the shelling of the city continue. In the Izyum direction, the enemy attempted an offensive in the direction of Sulyhivka, Dibrivne.
In the Donetsk and Tavriya directions, the Russian occupiers continue to shell the front positions of our troops and search for weaknesses in defense. Fighting continues in the areas of Kreminna, Torske and Zelena Dolyna. The enemy regroups in order to further attack in the direction of the village of Lyman. The enemy is also trying to advance in order to advance into the village of Popasna.
In the Donetsk direction, the enemy carried out assaults in the area of the Marinka settlement. However, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that as a result of the counteroffensive of Ukrainian troops, the Russian occupiers suffered losses and retreated, Ukrainian defenders regained control of the city.
The enemy’s main efforts are focused on capturing the city of Mariupol, continuing the assault in the area of the Azovstal plant.
The enemy is fighting in the settlements of Velyka Novosilka, Rivne and Storozhevo. Continues to provide logistical support to troops.
In the South Bug direction, the enemy is concentrating its main efforts on maintaining the occupied frontiers and shelling the positions of our troops. Conducts hostilities in the area of the settlement of Alexandrovka.
The fifth exchange of prisoners from the Russian Federation took place – 60 servicemen and 16 civilians are returning home.
Ukraine has already liberated 919 settlements that were under Russian occupation. Another 2,000 towns and villages remain under Russian control.
Due to the lack of human resources, the Russian invaders are trying to involve Ukrainian men in the fighting. The enemy forcibly mobilizes residents of the temporarily occupied Izyum of Kharkiv region.
The occupiers held a “referendum” in Rozivka in the Zaporizhia region. The local population, mostly elderly people and migrants from Mariupol, was deceitfully gathered in the local house of culture. Intimidated people were forced to vote for the election of a new “mayor”, “village activists”, and then to join the “Donetsk People’s Republic”.
Losses of military personnel and military equipment of the RF Armed Forces
- Military personnel – about 20,800 people,
- tanks – 802 units,
- armored combat vehicles – 2063 units,
- artillery systems – 386 units,
- Missile systems volley fire – 132 units,
- means of air defense – 67 units,
- aircraft – 169 units,
- helicopters – 150 units, ships /
- boats – 8 units,
In the battles near Kreminna, the commander of the DNR separatists, Mykhailo Kyshchyk, better known as the Misha Chechen, was killed.
In the Kyiv region, more than 1,000 civilians were killed in the Russian aggression, the vast majority of people were shot dead, and the bodies continue to be found, said Kyiv Region Police Chief Andriy Nebytov. According to him, more than 420 bodies have already been found in the city of Bucha alone.
The Russian military continues to commit war crimes, and they also record them themselves. In April 18 alone, the occupiers removed 98 children from Mariupol. The adviser to the mayor of Mariupol Petro Andryushchenko wrote about it.
