"The situation is difficult, the enemy has pulled up its forces" - Defence Ministry on the current situation in the east

In eastern Ukraine, the enemy has drawn up its forces and is trying to advance, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces are preventing it from advancing.

This was reported by Deputy Defence Minister Anna Malyar on Telegram.

According to her, the situation in the east is difficult now.

The enemy has pulled up its forces and is actively advancing in the Limansk and Kupyansk directions, trying to seize the initiative from us. High activity of enemy shelling is being recorded. Hot fighting continues," Malyar wrote.

She added that the occupiers have not abandoned plans to reach the borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which are the main directions of the Russian offensive. Malyar said that the enemy had concentrated a large number of its units in the east.

Our troops are courageously acting in the conditions of the enemy's advantage in strength and means and do not allow the enemy to advance," the deputy defence minister added.

Earlier, Sotsportal reported that the AFU had liberated eight settlements in the Berdyansk and Melitopol directions in a fortnight. In particular, Ukraine de-occupied the village of Pyatikhatki.