The Russian army has not stopped its attempts to seize Kyiv - General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

DENYS KARLOVSKYI - MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2022, 19:52

According to the Ukrainian Chief Intelligence Directorate, the Russian army continues attacks around Kyiv with the intent of capturing the city, despite contrary statements by Russian military officials.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at 18:00 on 28 March

Quote: "Despite Russian Defence Ministry and General Staff officials statements about changing plans and priorities, the aggressors continue to increase troop numbers around the capital. Unsuccessful attempts to take positions to attack or surround Kyiv continue. The Russian occupying forces are focusing their efforts to reach the administrative borders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Russian occupation command is also trying to keep the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine under control."

Details: According to the General Staff, Russia is conducting a hidden mobilisation of so-called "volunteers" through military commissariats. Candidates are only required to be "in good health" and experience in military service is optional. They also take Russians with criminal records.

They want to send these units of "volunteers" to Ukraine to maintain the "occupation order" in the temporarily occupied territories.

Recently Russia has transferred 150 mercenaries from South Ossetia to occupied Crimea, where they plan to use them for tasks in neighbouring regions. In addition, the Ukrainian Chief Intelligence Directorate has information that South Ossetia is secretly mobilising men for the war in Ukraine.

According to the General Staff, defenсe enterprises in Russia which produce missiles for the army are being shifted to states of non stop operation – this indicates that Russian missile stocks are low. The authority of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is convinced that under international sanctions, the Russian Federation will not be able to establish efficient production of new missiles due to the lack of high-tech electronic equipment which were previously imported from the West.

In Mariupol, Ukrainian soldiers continue their defence against Russian troops, and effectively restrain their movement. Russian forces are suffering heavy losses in the city. The temporarily occupied Kherson resists its occupation – as a result the Russian Federation is sending military units to maintain control over the regional centre.

Background: On 27 March, the General Staff announced that Russian command was withdrawing units around Kyiv to Belarus to restore their combat capability and make a second attempt to attack the capital.