Information Defence: Military-Political Situation in Ukraine as of April 20th - Ihor Zhdanov

Ihor Zhdanov, Information Defence Project, Open Policy Foundation

Informational Defence of Ukraine provides a daily review of the military-political situation in Ukraine as of April 20th, based on an analysis of open sources.

1. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are preparing for the decisive battle for the Donbas area.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the enemy is trying to continue the attacks in eastern Ukraine in order to establish full control over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

In the Donetsk and Tavriia directions, the enemy is doing reconnaissance and preparing for further attacks in the direction of Lyman and Sloviansk from the northeast.

The enemy tried to gain a foothold in the western and northwestern parts of Rubizhne, but failed. They carried out assault operations in the direction of Novotoshkivske, but were unsuccessful. The russian occupiers are carrying out assault operations in the area of the village of Popasna.

Air strikes affect the infrastructure of Mariupol, and the enemy is also carrying out assault operations near the seaport and the Azovstal plant.

In the Slobozhanskyi direction, the occupiers are strengthening groups of army aircraft near the state border of Ukraine. In the territory of the Belgorod region, the equipment of helicopter landing sites has been completed, where more than 90 attack and multi-purpose helicopters are concentrated.

The enemy continues to encircle parts of Kharkiv, trying to cause fire damage to units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and critical infrastructure.

The enemy regrouped its troops in the Izium direction. In the area of Dibrovne, the enemy carried out offensive actions and had a partial success. In the area of Stara Hnylytsia the