Title: Intense Fighting Escalates in Eastern Ukraine as Russian Forces Attack Avdiivka
Subtitle: Ukrainian forces hold their positions while Russian troops attempt to capture the strategically significant city
KYIV — The Ukrainian city of Avdiivka has been engulfed in intense fighting for the past three days, as Russian forces launched a major attack, mobilizing thousands of troops and columns of armored vehicles. The city, located 13 miles north of Donetsk, has been a target of Moscow’s military aggression since 2014, but thus far, Russian attempts to capture it have been unsuccessful.
According to Vitaliy Barabash, the head of the local military administration, the battles and shelling in and around Avdiivka have not subsided. He reported that “two dozen missiles” struck the area on Wednesday, resulting in casualties, injuries, and people trapped under rubble. Barabash described this as “perhaps the largest Russian offensive on the city” since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed confidence in his forces, stating that they are “holding their positions” in Avdiivka. He emphasized that the outcome of the war will be determined by Ukrainian courage and unity.
Vadym Sukharevskyi, commander of Ukraine’s 59th Separate Mechanized Brigade deployed near Avdiivka, revealed that Russian forces have concentrated up to three fresh brigades in an attempt to capture the city. Sukharevskyi explained that the Russians are carrying out simultaneous massive strikes with the support of artillery, aviation, and drones. He also claimed that four Russian battalions have lost their combat capability, while Ukrainian reports suggest heavy losses in Russian equipment. However, none of this information has been independently verified.
Experts from the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War analyzed geolocated footage, which indicated that Russian gains around Avdiivka are concentrated to the southwest. They concluded that Russian forces have not completed an operational encirclement of the settlement and may struggle to do so. Avdiivka is renowned for its superior fortifications, posing a challenge to any potential capture by the Russians.
The think tank suggested that Moscow aims to fix Ukrainian forces in Avdiivka to prevent them from redeploying to other areas of the front. However, Ukrainian officials have identified this strategy and are unlikely to commit excessive manpower to this axis.
The situation in Avdiivka remains highly volatile, with clashes continuing between Ukrainian and Russian forces. The international community is closely monitoring the situation and urging all parties to de-escalate tensions and resolve the conflict peacefully.
Contributions to this report were made by Kamila Hrabchuk in Kyiv and Serhiy Morgunov in Warsaw.
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