An immense offensive has been initiated by Russian forces on the town of Avdiivka, nestled in the eastern expanses of Ukraine. With the deployment of roughly 2,000 troops comprising three battalions, in addition to an array of armored vehicles and jets, this operation is now known as the most extensive assault ever launched on this area.
In the face of such adversity, the Ukrainian General Staff claims to have successfully withstood many assaults on Avdiivka and surrounding territories since last Tuesday.
As recounted by Serhiy Tsekhovsky, a 59th brigade officer, “From the inception of the invasion, we have never faced such an exhaustive attack in the Avdiivka vicinity. The offensive was launched on a vast frontier, with simultaneous employment of multiple rocket-launchers, artillery, tanks and infantry.”
Avdiivka serves as a crucial operational conduit to Donetsk, the capital of the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine. The city of Donetsk, under occupation by Russian and proxy forces since 2014, hasn’t been fully exploited as an essential military communication hub due to its close proximity to the front line. Occupying forces could potentially push the front line back by capturing Avdiivka.
However, the significance of Avdiivka extends beyond its strategic value. Its continuous presence on the front line since the annexation of Crimea, nine years ago, and the inception of the conflict in eastern Ukraine has elevated Avdiivka as a symbol of Ukrainian resilience and defiance.
Images of Avdiivka, shared across social media platforms by President Volodymyr Zelensky, intended to highlight the firm resistance of Ukrainians, underscoring his belief that “Ukrainian courage and unity will determine how this war will end.”
Avdiivka’s military positions and residential sectors have faced relentless bombardment across the last three days.
Vitaliy Barabash, the military administration head of Avdiivka, estimates an average of 50-60 instances of severe shelling through artillery and rockets targeting the town every day, with military positions experiencing a minimum of 500-600 hits daily. He illustrates the grim reality, detailing damages caused to apartment blocks, offices and a hospital, while also addressing the constant air strikes and bombing the town is subjected to.
Of around 1,600 residents who have remained in Avdiivka, most have shifted to basements seeking cover, though the protection is often insufficient. As per Barabash’s accounts, the latest attacks have resulted in at least one death, while two others are feared to be trapped under debris.
Fresh attempts by Russians to advance further seem to be directed towards capturing nearby villages, namely those of Berdyche and Stepove in Avdiivka’s northern reaches, along with Tonenke and Severne in the south. Moscow claims its troops have bolstered their positions around Avdiivka while some Russian military bloggers report that certain strategic positions of Ukrainians have already been usurped by Russian forces which have subsequently entered Stepove.
Despite vehement denials of these reports by the Ukrainian military, the intense battles certainly indicate Russia’s intent to encapsulate Avdiivka by tightening the noose from the north and south.
Avdiivka has been significantly fortified and safeguarded since 2014, rendering the prospect of a successful Russian invasion considerably challenging. It is therefore assumed that efforts are underway to cut Avdiivka off from other territories under Ukrainian control and besiege it.
Likewise, colossal attacks have been initiated by Russia across other segments of the front line in eastern Ukraine. Russian troops are propelling in the direction of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region and Lyman in the Donetsk region.
Researchers from the Institute of Studies of War suggest these offensives in Avdiivka and other areas across the Donbas region are designed to pin down Ukrainian forces and hinder any potential redeployment efforts, particularly to the western region of Zaporizhzhia where Ukraine’s progress has been sluggish.
