The situation remains most difficult in the Pokrovsk axis where 25 enemy assault attempts were recorded today as of 4 p.m., the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) has said.

"The number of combat clashes [along the front line] increased to 72. The hottest direction now is Pokrovsk," it said on Facebook on Friday.

Fierce fighting is taking place in the areas of Kalynove, Vozdvyzhenka, Novooleksandrivka, Ivanivka, Zhelanne, Serhiyivka, Novoselivka Persha, and Yasnoborodivka in the Pokrovsk direction. As of 4 p.m, the enemy tried to storm the Ukrainian positions 25 times.

"In the Toretsk axis, the adversary, covered by attack and bomber aircraft, attacked the positions of our forces ten times. Currently, there are four ongoing hostilities in the vicinity of Toretsk, Zalizne, and New York. During the day, the adversary dropped twelve guided air bombs on Toretsk," the General Staff said.

In the Kharkiv direction, five combat clashes were recorded. The defense forces successfully repulsed the enemy attacks near Hlyboke, Tykhe, and Vovchansk. There is one ongoing battle in the area. In the Kupyansk direction, the Russian troops made two assault attempts on the AFU positions near Stelmakhivka, both of which were repulsed.

In the Lyman direction, the Russian occupiers attacked the areas of Makiyivka, Nevske, and Torske. As many as seven combat clashes were recorded there since the beginning of the day.

In the Kramatorsk direction, the Russian forces made five attempts to push the Ukrainian forces out of their positions. Four storms were repulsed in the vicinity of Klischiyivka and Ivanivske, and there is one ongoing battle near Chasiv Yar.

In the Kurakhove direction, the invaders three times attacked the Ukrainian positions and tried to advance in the vicinity of Krasnohorivka and Kostiantynivka.

In the Vremiv direction, four enemy assaults on Velyka Novosilka were repulsed. Enemy aircraft dropped guided air bombs on Vuhledar and fired unguided missiles at Marakivka, Urozhaine, and Staromayorske.

The enemy did not make any assault attempts in the Prydniprovsky direction during the day.

The situation in other axes did not change significantly, the General Staff said.