The Russian occupation troops have begun to strengthen the "deep rear" and the third line of defense in Zaporizhia direction, mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov said.

"The occupiers claim that the counteroffensive on Zaporizhia has already failed, but they have undertaken to strengthen the ‘deep rear’ and the defense on the ‘third line,’" he wrote on the Telegram channel on Wednesday.

According to Fedorov, the occupiers are "digging new trenches and strengthening defensive structures near the front line in Polohivsky district, occupying houses and placing new equipment in villages near Tokmak, and in the own itself they have set up roadblocks and placed anti-tank hedgehogs. They are seizing new recreation centers on the Azov coast, and in Berdiansk they have arranged a helicopter base at the airfield."

The Russians also "bring former prisoners to fight off Robotyne and hold the front."

"They are intensely preparing to die [crossed out] for defense throughout the occupied territory," the mayor of the temporarily occupied town summed up.