PRESS RELEASE : Servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other law enforcement agencies do not yield to the Russian troops and oppose them – Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

In the framework of repelling the military operation by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, there are currently four dangerous directions – the Crimean Isthmus, the JFO area, the directions of Chernihiv and Kharkiv. This was announced by Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President Oleksiy Arestovych at a briefing in the Office of the President.

Currently, the most successful situation for the Ukrainian side is in the area of the JFO – all attacks are repulsed there, the line of defense is not broken. Despite the reports and statements of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Ukraine has preserved Shchastya – many armored vehicles of the enemy are destroyed there, there are losses of their manpower as well.

In addition, Russian troops, according to preliminary data, have crossed the isthmus with the Crimean peninsula and are developing an offensive in two directions, but are moving slowly.

“The first is towards Melitopol, the second is towards Kherson. They are now lined up in marching columns and preparing to move. There are our troops there, and they will resist, they will defend. Of course, I will not say the details of where they are located, but it will not be easy for them – we will stop them,” said the Adviser to the Head of the President’s Office.

Oleksiy Arestovych also noted that the invaders hang their flags on buildings to shoot and post propaganda videos, but the Armed Forces oppose them.

Separate advanced detachments of the Russian Armed Forces, numbering two or three tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, and several dozen servicemen have appeared in the Belarusian direction. They try to enter Ukrainian territory, but face resistance and withdraw.

“We can’t say that they are advancing, but the Armed Forces and other military formations are monitoring the situation,” he said.

The Adviser to the Head of the President’s Office also denied the report that the border in the Volyn direction had been breached: border guards are being fired on, but there is no breakthrough.

In the north of the Chernihiv region, closer to the administrative border with the Sumy region, the advance of enemy troops at a distance of 10-20 km was recorded.

“They are now, most likely, preparing, building battle formations, and will try to advance further, but Kyiv is well protected, especially from the Chernihiv direction,” Oleksiy Arestovych stressed.

Also, according to him, the military of the Armed Forces and the National Guard continue to defend Kharkiv.

Adviser to the Head of the President’s Office also said that there is no paratroopers landing from the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, the Zmiinyi Island is kept by Ukrainian border guards and the military.

“No warrior of the Armed Forces and other law enforcement agencies yields, everyone fights, there is no surrender or escape,” he said.

According to Oleksiy Arestovych, there are even heroic stories, such as conscripts of the National Guard, 18-year-old soldiers who have not yet studied the general military battle, destroyed four tanks of the Russian Federation.

He also noted that more than 40 servicemen have been killed so far, and several dozen have been wounded, mostly due to air strikes this morning.