Ukrainian forces warned on Tuesday of a worsening situation with heavy bombardment, with their Russian enemies trying “by all means” to encircle the city. Russia’s offensive action began on Monday. On Wednesday, the Russian military announced that it had gained a better position at the city. “The actions of the southern forces, supported by air, artillery fire and heavy flamethrower systems, have improved the situation along the front line in the vicinity of Avdijivka,” reads an update from the Russian Ministry of Defense. Smaller advances Russian and largely regime-loyal military bloggers talk about advances of a few kilometers, but this is difficult to verify. Analysts at the US-based think tank Institute for the study of war assess that Russia’s offensive action in the east aims to tie up Ukrainian forces in that direction, instead of in the direction of the disputed town of Robotyne further west. Avdijivka is located just north of the city of Donetsk, which has been occupied since 2014. The frontline suburb has gained symbolic importance as an important Ukrainian resistance stronghold, but large parts of it have also been destroyed and the majority of residents have fled.
t4-general