By KYIV. Nov 17 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Russian occupation forces launched 25 missile and five air strikes, as well as mounted more than ten artillery shelling attacks on the territory of Ukraine in the past 24 hours, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) has said on Thursday.
"In the past 24 hours, the Russian occupation forces, in violation of the international humanitarian law and laws and customs of the warfare, launched missile strikes against civilian infrastructure facilities in Dnipro, Odesa, Balakliya in Kharkiv region, Vilniansk in Zaporizhia region, Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk region, and Ochakiv in Mykolaiv region," it said.
The Ukrainian defense forces shot down two cruise missiles, two guided air missiles, and five Shahed-136 drones in the past 24 hours, according to the report.
Also, during the period under review, the Ukrainian missile and artillery forces hit three enemy control points, 17 areas of concentration of the enemy personnel, weapons and military equipment, five ammunition depots and three other important enemy targets.
According to the AFU General Staff, Russia is working on a bill to legalize the conscription of Ukrainian citizens, who live in the temporarily occupied territories and have obtained Russian passports, from spring 2023.
"According to the information available to us, around 650 prisoners were recruited at Russian correctional facilities last week. They have been transferred to Rostov region for further training. In case of an injury, this category of people will receive medical treatment exclusively at the hospitals in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine," it said.
In some residential areas in the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk region, the enemy has stepped up administrative and police measures. In particular, admission to the village of Rubizhne from the Kreminna and Varvarivka directions is closed. The movement of civilians has been restricted in the village and filtration measures have been strengthened.
In Mariupol, the occupation authorities plan to deploy units of the National Guard, special forces and rapid response, with a total of up to 400 people.
"The Russian occupation troops continue the forced evacuation of the population of Ukraine and the removal of property from the temporarily occupied territories of Kherson region. In particular, on the night of November 16, the invaders forcibly removed the population from Novokyivka. In addition, the central city hospital in Nova Kakhovka ceased operation, because all medical equipment and ambulances were stolen and taken away in the direction of the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea," the General Staff said.
