War In Ukraine Day 55: ‘Tactical Pause’ Ended. Russian Forces Gain More Territories In Donbass (18+)

DISCLOSURE: Sourced from Russian government funded media

SouthFront: On April 18, the AFU General Staff claimed the beginning of the second phase of the Russia’s military operation in Ukraine. On April 19th, the Russian Foreign Minister confirmed that another stage was launched. In turn, the Russian Ministry of Defense has not made any statements about this. However, it is too early to claim the beginning of the massive Russian offensive in the Donbass region.

Fierce clashes have been going on on the front lines since the launch of the Russian military operations. The most recently, Russian forces have increased strikes on the Ukrainian military facilities. Russian, L/DPR artillery is heavily pounding the AFU positions as well. At the moment, it is likely the stage of offensive reconnaissance in the Donbass region.

Russia has launched small offensive operations near Donetsk and Izyum on the eve of a larger-scale offensive throughout the Donbas. According to the Pentagon, over the past day, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation has transferred two battalion task groups to Ukraine and their transfer from the territory of Belarus still continues.

One of the main directions of the Russian offensive is the north of the Donbass region.

In the area of Izyum, Russian troops are advancing towards Slavyansk and Kramatorsk from the north and northwest. There are also heavy battles in the direction of Barvenkovo. The AFU are slowly retreating amid fierce clashes. According to preliminary information, the AFU were pushed out the village of Suligovka. Battles were reported in the area of Novaya Dmitrievka in the direction of Barvenkovo and Dolgenkoe located on the road to Slavyansk.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine reportedly prepared another counterattack on Russian forces near Izyum. However, the attack was thwarted by Russian reconnaissance groups. As a result of the fighting, 4 Ukrainian tanks were destroyed.

Russian forces have recently secured the areas north of Lozovoe, where front lines were pushed towards Peski-Radkovskie.

Another important direction in the area, where Russian forces have recently claimed a success, is the advance toward the town of Liman from the north-east. On April 19, LPR officials confirmed control over the village of Kremenaya. According to some reports, the village of Torskoye was taken under the LPR control.

The mop up operations continue in the villages.

Fighting continues in the south of Rubezhnoye and on the suburbs of Severodonetsk. No progress by any side was reported in Popasnaya where the AFU keep control over the west and north of the town.

On the Donetsk front lines, no advances were reported on April 19. Heavy artillery clashes continue from Popasnaya to Maryinka, where the DPR units are slowly pushing the AFU from their positions to the south of the village.

In the south of the Donbass region, in the area of Velikaya Novoselka, Russian troops have reportedly blocked the village from the west and entered the village of Vremyovka located on the outskirts of the town.

Russian and AFU positions near Kharkov remain unchanged. The situation in southern Ukraine also remains stable. In the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions, the main front line run along Alexandrovka — Snigirevka — Velikaya Alexandrovka area. At the same time, the AFU positions in the Mykolaiv region are heavily pounded by Russian missiles.

One of the main battlefields in Ukraine is the city of Mariupol. While the mop up operation in the Primorskiy district reached the final stage, the major assault at the Azovstal plant was launched.

However, the offensive of the Russian and DPR Special Forces is interrupted by the ceasefire regime proclaimed by the Russian Ministry of Defence.

On April 19, the Azov militants and foreign mercenaries in the Azovstal were guaranteed the security if they lay down their weapons and surrender from the facility. The measures were also taken in order to give them the last chance to let civilians leave the facilities if there are still some taken in hostage.

No one left the Azovstal. Immediately after the end of the ceasefire regime, shelling on the facilities resumed. Meanwhile, Russian and DPR assault groups have moped up the residential area along the Taganrog Street, residential complex 1st quarter, microdistrict 6th section in Mariupol. Ukrainians were forced out of the industrial development east of the Unity Avenue. Clashes break out on the Pobedy Avenue right near the entrance of the Azovstal plant and in industrial buildings nearby.

The pause in hostilities allowed to evacuate 140 civilians from the buildings located near the Azovstal. They confirmed that there were still civilians left in the area, hiding in the basements.

As a result, the Russian Ministry of Defence claimed another ceasefire on April 20, with the same conditions.

There are still doubts if there are any civilians held hostage in the basements of the Azovstal. Unfortunately, it seems that the Azov militants and the Kiev regime are not willing to let them go out, as in this case they would confirm that the “cruel Russian invaders” secured humanitarian corridors and saved lives of Ukrainians, including soldiers. Kiev may only profit in case if the whole Azovstal is destroyed together with the remaining Nationalist and probably civilians inside. Then, the Kiev regime could follow its lies about the inhumane tactics of the Russian invaders.

At the same time, such Russian concessions are always perceived as weakness by the Kiev regime and inflict damage to the Russian troops on the battlefields.

In the city of Mariupol, bodies of the Ukrainian soldiers killed from behind were discovered in the seaport area. The victims had papers claiming their willingness to surrender on them. Thus, it was supposed that they were killed by their comrades when trying to surrender.

Strikes with high-precision weapons on the Ukrainian military facilities did not stop.

According to the Russian Defence Ministry, 2 strongholds in the Kalinovo-Popasnoye area and 6 areas of concentration of manpower and equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of Mirnoye, Slavyansk and Popasnoye were hit on April 19. As a result, up to 180 personnel and 15 armored vehicles were destroyed. Near the village of Barvenkovo, the launcher of the Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile system was destroyed.