Occupiers continue to destroy critical infrastructure in Ukraine, shell civilian houses – General Staff

KYIV. Feb 21 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Russian occupation forces continue to destroy the critical infrastructure of Ukraine, shell civilian objects using artillery systems, and open fire at civilian houses, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) has said.

“In the past 24 hours, the enemy mounted more than 30 shelling attacks using multiple launch rocket systems, in particular, on the civilian infrastructure of Kherson. There are casualties among the civilian population,” it said.

The threat of new air and missile strikes by the Russian forces remains high all over the territory of Ukraine.

The enemy is currently focused on its offensive operations in Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, and Shakhtarsk directions, the General Staff said.

No signs of forming offensive enemy groups were detected in Volyn, Polissia, Siversky, and Slobozhansky directions.

“Due to a high desertion rate among the Russian occupation forces, mass raids were launched on February 20 of this year in Chaplynsky district, Kherson region,” the General Staff said.

The crime situation has grown worse since the beginning of 2023 in the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, in particular, in Sevastopol.

“The reason is the appearance of ex-prisoners who fought in the composition of the so-called Wagner Private Military Company and were amnestied after the expiration of their contracts. When they are detained for a crime, they go back to the front instead of a detention facility,” it said.

The Ukrainian Air Force inflicted four strikes on the areas of concentration of enemy personnel and military equipment in the past 24 hours.