Ukrainian defenders repelled attacks by russian invaders in Rubizhne, Popasna, and Avdiivka

The Armed Forces of Ukraine repulsed the attack of the occupiers in Rubizhne and Popasna in the Luhansk region and twice in Avdiivka in the Donetsk region

The head of Luhansk Regional Military Administration Serhii Haidai told about it on the air of the telethon and the Head of Donetsk Regional Military Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko reported on it.

To recap, the day before the russian occupiers started the battle for Donbas, the Ukrainian defenders give a worthy response to the enemy.

According to Haidai, the Ukrainian military destroyed dozens of occupiers trying to attack Rubizhne and Popasna.

"Escalation has already begun, a difficult situation, but our defenders are holding the line of defense. They repulsed the offensive in Rubizhne, Popasna. The enemy has dozens of losses; our fighters shot down the Orlan-10 drone, heavy equipment," Haidai said.

"Our guys hold their positions. At night, the number of attacks and shelling, and airstrikes were significantly increased. The enemy had no success," said the head of the Luhansk region.

In the Donetsk region, near Avdiivka, russian invaders twice attempted an offensive and were stopped by the Ukrainian military.

According to Kyrylenko, civilians were killed in the shelling of the city, several houses were damaged and a gas pipeline was cut off. He calls the situation at the front difficult but controlled.

Note.

On April 18, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that signs of the beginning of an offensive operation by the russian occupiers were being recorded in the Eastern Operational Zone.

On the morning of April 19, the General Staff noted the intensification of the offensive along the entire line of contact in Donbas. The occupiers want to establish full control over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as maintain a land corridor with the temporarily occupied Crimea.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also announced the start of the battle for Donbas.

"We will defend ourselves… We will not give away anything Ukrainian, and we need nothing that doesn't belong to us," the president said.

According to the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, the russians aim to get a part of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions by Easter.