Over the past 24 hours, Thursday, March 17, the Ukrainian army partially destroyed and stopped the advance into the country's territory of units from the 437th training regiment and 26th tank regiment of the Russian armed forces. Ukrainian aviation and air defense shot down 14 enemy air targets in a day, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.

"During the day, Ukrainian defenders partially destroyed and stopped the advancement deep into the territory of Ukraine of units from the 437th training regiment and the 26th tank regiment of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, the enemy’s losses are being specified," the morning summary on the General Staff Facebook page said on Friday.

It is also noted that over the previous day, bomber and attack aircraft of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine dealt powerful blows to columns of enemy military equipment. Anti-aircraft missile forces and fighter aircraft hit 14 enemy air targets (seven aircraft, a helicopter, three UAVs and three cruise missiles).

At the same time, the Ukrainian military state that the occupiers have significantly exhausted their human resources (irretrievable and sanitary losses caused by units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, cases of self-mutilation in order to evade participation in hostilities and psychogenic losses) and the command of the armed forces of the Russian Federation is forced to take extreme measures in matters of staffing. "They are conducting covert mobilization, attract the so-called volunteers, conscripts and cadets, as well as mercenaries from the Syrian Arab Republic," the statement said.

In addition, in some temporarily occupied territories, the Russian invaders are trying to create a demonstrative positive image for themselves by distributing food products to the civilian population. At the same time, active searches and detentions of pro-Ukrainian activists, civil servants, ATO/JFO members and their families, as well as other citizens who can organize resistance to the occupation, are being carried out.

"The enemy continues to suffer damage. There are problems with the provision of units. The low morale and psychological state of the personnel leads to an increase in the number of cases of desertion and refusals of the military personnel of the armed forces of the Russian Federation and mercenaries to participate in the war against Ukraine," the General Staff said.