War in Ukraine on the evening of April 24: Russia increased artillery fire, Ukraine sought to counterattack in Azovstal

A Ukrainian military vehicle carrying soldiers to the frontline near Izyum, Kharkiv province, Ukraine April 23 reuters

The east continues to be shelled, Ukraine calls for a ceasefire

According to Reuters, Ukraine on April 24 said the forces Russia bombarding steel mills Azovstal in the city Mariupol in the Donetsk region, where Ukrainian forces are still entrenched with thousands of civilians. A few days before, Moscow declared the “liberation” of the city of Mariupol and said it did not need to attack Azovstal.

“The place where Ukrainian civilians and troops are sheltering is being bombarded and heavy artillery,” said adviser Mykhailo Podolyak of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Twitter, calling for “an Easter ceasefire in Mariupol”.

Oleksiy Arestovych, another adviser to President Zelensky, said Ukrainian troops in the Azovstal factory are trying to counterattack. According to the Ukrainian government, more than 1,000 people are currently sheltering in this factory. An aide to the mayor of Mariupol announced that an attempt to evacuate civilians from Mariupol on April 23 had failed.

Ukrainian leader Zelensky has insisted that Kyiv will abandon peace talks with Moscow if Ukrainian forces in the port city of Mariupol are killed.

Ukraine’s military also said that Russian forces are continuing to advance in the east of the country to gain full control of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko of Donetsk said two children were killed by shelling in the area on April 24. Russia has not confirmed this information but has always stated that it is not targeting civilians.

Ukraine also claims to have repelled 12 attacks on Donetsk and Luhansk a day earlier, destroyed 4 tanks, 15 armored equipment and 5 artillery systems.

Meanwhile, love military newspaper Britain on April 24 said that Ukraine is still resisting strongly, especially in Donbass. However, Russia has also gained some advantages.

Russia announced the destruction of many targets

Russia’s Defense Ministry said on April 24 that it had destroyed nine Ukrainian military targets overnight, including four weapons depots in the province. Kharkiv and a facility in the Dnipropetrovsk region that specializes in the production of explosives for the Ukrainian army.

Earlier, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on April 23 that the Russian forces used a high-precision missile to destroy the logistics station at a military airport near the city. Odessawhere foreign weapons are stored.

See more: Russia said to destroy US weapons sent to Ukraine, Kyiv wants Washington to ensure security

President Zelensky said eight people, including a three-month-old baby, were killed in the Russian air strike on Odessa.

According to TASS news agency, Governor Roman Starovoit of Kursk Oblast (Russia) announced on April 23 that a checkpoint on the Russian-Ukrainian border in the Glushkovsky district of Kursk province had been shelled by Ukraine. The official said an office of the Federal Plant Control and Veterinary Service caught fire during the shelling. Ukraine has not confirmed this information.

Ukraine accuses Russia of sending ballistic missiles close to the border

Ukraine’s military announced on April 24 that Russia has deployed ballistic missile systems Iskander-USA capable of carrying nuclear warheads to a position just 60 km from the border. Ukraine on April 24 also reported that Russia had increased its troops in Belgorod province bordering Ukraine

Russia has not commented on this information. The information appeared at a time when Russia was focusing on advancing troops in eastern Ukraine.

See more: Ukraine accuses Russia of sending Iskander-M ballistic missiles close to the border