Residents of temporarily occupied Mariupol district reported hearing explosion

On the night of April 18, residents of the temporarily occupied Mariupol district reported hearing explosions.

Drones had targeted a Russian military base in the village of Nikolskoye. According to Petr Andryushchenko, head of the Center for the Study of the Occupation, this drone strike resulted in injuries to at least 10 Russian soldiers, who were subsequently taken to the hospital, alongside damage to several enemy vehicles, including a minimum of three large units.

The targeted base had been monitored by Ukrainian forces for some time. Despite the Russian attempts to intercept the drones, debris from the strikes fell and caused damage to nearby private residences. "This base is situated close to an ambulance station that the occupiers have used as cover for several years.
This strike is a significant development, and we view it as an initial move," Andryushchenko stated. He further noted that this drone strike marked the first in six months within the Mariupol region, with no similar attacks on the Nikolskaya community occurring for over a year. "Morale among Russian troops is low. Reports indicate they are preparing to evacuate this base, possibly relocating it to an area known to have a significant occupancy of their forces," he added. Additionally, a Russian military base was recently targeted in the temporarily occupied village of Mykilske, near Mariupol; the specifics regarding whether this strike was intentional or a result of a misfire in Russian air defense are unclear. "The outcome of the operation is promising," Andryushchenko remarked.

"We were nearly able to reach the residence of traitor Klymenko, who is currently involved in mobilization efforts within the Nikolske community. But this is just the beginning; we anticipate further developments. Fortunately, there have been no fatalities thus far, but we expect more to follow," he reported.
The traitor referenced by Andryushchenko is likely Oleksiy Klymenko, who faces charges under part 5 of article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for collaboration and voluntarily occupying a position within illegal authorities. Among the positions he has held is "head of the housing and architecture department" for the so-called "Volodarskyi district administration of the DPR." Klymenko has been summoned to court numerous times in connection with the criminal case against him.