According to the commander of the 79th separate Air Assault brigade "Tavria" Yevhen Shmataliuk, the Ukrainian military still holds part of Novomykhailivka despite the Ministry of Defence of the aggressor country's false statements about the alleged complete capture of the settlement.
What is known about the situation in the Novomykhailivka area
On Monday, April 22, the Russian MOD announced the alleged complete capture of Novomykhailivka in the Donetsk region, along with the occupied Maryinka.
Currently, the settlement of Novomykhailivka is partially under our control. The other part, where the enemy is located, is under our fire control, which is important, Shmatalyuk emphasised.
He noted that the Ukrainian military currently controls about 15-20% of the settlement's territory.
We are not going to move anywhere, except forward, emphasized the brigadier general of the 79th Separate Air Assault Brigade "Tavria".
What helps the Russian occupiers advance
According to the MOD chief, Rustem Umierov, the heavy guided aerial bombs used by the criminal army of the Russian Federation on the front lines help the Kremlin invaders advance.
Today, together with Dmytro Kuleba, he had the opportunity to participate in the meeting of the Council of the European Union regarding the situation in Ukraine. In particular, he thanked our European partners and the High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell, for the systematic and unwavering support of Ukraine in the war with Russia, Umyerov said.
He emphasised that the Russian occupiers do not hesitate to use any means to destroy what they cannot capture.
This year, Russia launched thousands of rockets and kamikaze drones, resorting to unprecedented use of guided aerial bombs weighing up to 1.5 tons, capable of destroying everything in their path. These bombs allow the occupiers to advance through the ruins, the Ukrainian MOD chief emphasized.
The minister noted that Ukraine currently relies on partners' decisions regarding the supply of additional air defence systems.
It is air defense systems that can become a decisive factor in the protection of Ukraine's skies and save thousands of lives, providing our defenders with the opportunity to repel aggression and force the enemy to retreat, Umierov emphasised.
According to him, the Ministry of Defense is also open to cooperation in the defence industry, including joint ventures, investments, and localization of production, which will help not only Ukraine but also strengthen the defence potential of EU countries.
