Ukrainian army repelling Russian attacks in eastern Ukraine - Arestovych

Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to the head of the President's Office, said this at a briefing on April 2, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"In eastern Ukraine, the enemy is trying to surround a grouping of our troops in the area of the Joint Forces Operation - from Izium to the south and from Volnovakha to the north. […] Yesterday, south of Volnovakha, the enemy tried to launch an offensive, but it was repulsed," he said.

Arestovych said that Russian forces are also attempting to attack Ukrainian troops near Avdiivka and Yasynuvata, but they were also stopped and they suffered heavy losses.

At the same time, he warned that fierce fighting was expected in eastern Ukraine, but added that after these battles the Russian Federation will unlikely have reserves for active offensives.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops have been shelling and destroying infrastructure and residential areas of Ukrainian cities, towns and villages, using artillery, multiple rocket launchers and ballistic missiles.