As of the morning of 23 March, a group of the defense forces is conducting a defense operation in the eastern, southeastern, and northeastern directions. This was reported by the General Staff.
“In the eastern direction, the operational military groups are acting at Donetsk, Slobozhansk, and eastern part of Tavriya operational districts. They are deterring the enemy from resuming its attack in the directions of Slovyansk and Lozova town (by the part of forces). Deterring advancing the enemy in the direction of Zaporizhzhia”, the statement said.
At the same time, a group of united forces hinders the advance of the invader in the direction of the cities of Popasna and Kurakhove, and conducts the circle defense of Mariupol, the General Staff said.
In the northeastern direction, the defense operation continues in the defined operational zone. The main efforts are focused on covering the state border, deterring the enemy's offensive in the area of Malyn.
In the Siverskyy region, a military group holds the defense of Chernihiv and hinders the advance of the enemy in the direction of Kyiv.
In the southeastern direction, a defense operation is being carried out, support is given to the actions of infantry and other units, and bases and seaports in the Black Sea Operational Zone are being defended. The defense of the city of Mykolayiv and the towns of the Mykolaiv region continues.
Our defenders are deterring the enemy in the directions of Kryvyy Rih and Novovorontsovka, carrying out a stabilization operation, conducting the missions of territorial defense.
As the General Staff informed, the enemy’s air forces activity by missile attacks has increased over the past 24 hours.
"The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine repels concentrated missile and airstrikes and air attacks of the enemy, air cover of important objects of Ukraine and military groups. For the previous day more than 17 air targets of the enemy were hit (6 aircraft, 5 UAVs, 1 helicopter, and 5 missiles). In addition, the Air Force dealt devastating blows to the accumulation of equipment and manpower of the enemy and destroyed enemy missiles”.
It is reported that covert mobilization is underway in the territory of Russia in order to replenish the losses of the personnel of the occupying group of troops, which is operating in the war in Ukraine. Military commissariats try to recruit former servicemen and sign the contracts, with preference given to those who already have combat experience.
At the same time, the General Staff notes that "on the territory of Belarus, representatives of opposition forces and concerned citizens who condemn the assistance of the current illegitimate government of the Russian Federation in the war with Ukraine, partially disrupted the railway connection between Belarus and Ukraine. The information is being clarified.”.
According to the available information, the active movement of Russian and Belarusian military equipment and its further accumulation along the Ukrainian border continues on the territory of Belarus.
The enemy is demoralized in some areas. Thus, during the storming of the city of Mariupol, in one of the special forces units involved in active hostilities, less than 10% of personnel are ready to continue the war, the rest of the personnel killed, wounded, sick, or demoralized, the General Staff said.