 Russia preparing for Ukraine's expected counter-offensive in Mariupol, civilians being evacuated. Russia is preparing for Ukraine's counter-offensive in the east of the country. The Russian army is concentrating heavy equipment and air defense systems in Ukraine's occupied Mariupol city in eastern Donetsk region. Petra Andryushenko, advisor to the mayor of Mariupol, wrote in his Telegram channel on Monday. Russia have registered the movement of tanks and air defense systems from the Burdiansk city in Zeporovsky region, direction towards Novovo-Azovsky district. Following the evacuation announcement, invaders started to drag heavy equipment and air defense systems to Mariupol for the second day. Andryushenko wrote, Russian troops have been transferring military equipment through Mariupol to other directions of the front for a while. General staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported on Monday that Russian troops have stopped delivering fuel to gas stations and have closed police stations in the occupied territories in the south where they recently announced evacuation of the population due to the expected Ukrainian counter-offensive. Russian troops are evacuating civilians from Energodar, Tokmak, Pologov, Vasilyevka cities among others. Ukrainian military officials have claimed that Russian troops are evacuating civilians from the frontline areas of the occupied territories of Ukraine in order to subsequently use them as a human shield. Russian troops are actively preparing for the defense of Mariupol that was occupied from Ukraine in May last year. Andryushenko said on Monday that Russia has started mobilizing male state employees in the city.