Russia controls several key strongholds; Ukraine builds defenses near Zaporizhia

War information

Russia takes control of several key positions . Adviser to the head of the DPR Igor Kimakovsky said that the Russian army has taken control of several strategic Ukrainian villages near the city of Chasov Yar in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).

“ Our assault groups supported by artillery, aerospace forces and UAV teams have taken control of several fortified points of the Ukrainian armed forces near Chasov Yar. The positions occupied by our troops are strategically important and therefore have prospects ,” Kimakovsky said.

According to Mr. Kimakovsky, Russian strike groups have significantly advanced towards Chasov Yar, putting most of the Ukrainian task force's supply routes in that area under fire control.

The Russia-Ukraine war remains heated on all fronts. Photo: RIA Novosti

Ukraine builds defense line near Zaporizhia . The Ukrainian army is reportedly actively building a second defense line in the city of Zaporizhia.

Accordingly, despite Russia's continuous attacks, Ukrainian construction workers and engineers are working day and night to build defense lines and military engineering works, and arrange a barrier system in the Zaporizhia region.

Some images published by Ukrainian media show that there are 13 construction sites of technical works, and 11,000 "dragon teeth" have been installed in Zaporizhia to stop the advance of the Russian army.

Experts say Ukrainian units are holding out in the city's arc, where they suffered heavy losses in personnel and combat equipment - a rare achievement of the counterattack in the middle of last year.

Some related developments

Ukraine talks about Russian losses . The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that the country's army has caused the enemy to lose 442,880 soldiers since the conflict broke out. On March 31 alone, the Ukrainian army caused 710 Russian casualties.

“ The Russian army lost 6,986 tanks; 13,321 armored fighting vehicles; 14,752 trucks and motor vehicles; 11,082 artillery systems of various types; 744 air defense systems; 347 fighters; 325 helicopters; 26 warships and 1 submarine ,” the statement said.

Russia withdraws most valuable ships from Crimea . Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk said Moscow had withdrawn almost all large ships from Crimean ports after the Black Sea Fleet was heavily damaged by an attack.

In recent months, Kiev forces have stepped up attacks on Black Sea Fleet targets in Crimea, successfully targeting several ships and forcing Russian vessels to redeploy to safer waters.

According to Pletenchuk, Moscow has now withdrawn all large ships except for the Cyclone missile boat. “Most of the combat units, if we consider the cruise missile boats, practically all have been evacuated, except for one.”

Germany halts production of weapons vital to Ukraine . Production of Taurus missiles, which Ukraine has been asking Berlin to supply in its war with Russia, is currently suspended, said Thomas Gottschild, head of the German branch of European arms maker MBDA.

So far, about 600 missiles have been produced at a company factory in Bavaria, but MBDA said it cannot boost production because it has not yet signed any more weapons contracts with the German government .

Mr. Gottschild said that production of the above weapon will still be deployed again at any time because the production lines are always in a state of readiness.

Russia discovers NASA technology in Ukrainian UAVs . “The first FPV UAV we captured had batteries similar to those used by the US in NASA’s Mars mission,” said Dmitry Kuzyakin, director general of Russia’s Center for the Development of Integrated Unmanned Solutions. “It seems that Ukraine assembled the FPV together with its American partners, and these batteries were installed to use the UAV in winter with unusually warm temperatures.”

According to Mr. Kuzyakin, the batteries found in the Ukrainian FPV are too expensive to use in such makeshift devices.

Russian officials added that aluminum alloys similar to those used in NASA's space program were also found in Ukrainian UAVs that fell into the hands of Moscow forces participating in a special military operation across the border.

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