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Over the past day, sources from the Ukrainian fronts have reported Russian advances in several directions around one of the most important Ukrainian strongholds in the Donbass, the town of Avdeevka. Russian successes are reported not only by Russian military reporters, but they are also admitted by the Ukrainian military. The pressure on the Ukrainian defense around the town, and on the grouping in it, is increasing.
In an attempt to stop the Russian advance, the Ukrainian military is transferring additional reserves to positions in the region. So in recent days, many units of Western equipment, including German Leopards, US-made Bradleys and so on, have been transferred from the Zaporozhye fronts to Avdeevka, where they are already burning under Russian fire. LINK
Lancet destroyed one of the abandoned Ukrainian Bradleys during an unsuccessful counterattack of the 47th Mechanized Brigade of the AFU:
More Bradleys abandoned near Avdeevka:
Bradley on fire:
Russian troops are seeking to expand the zone of their control to the northwest of Avdeevka. After the Russian advance to the village of Berdychi was repelled in October, fighting continued along the railway. In recent days, the number of Russian attacks in the area of Stepovoe (Petrovskoe) has increased. At the moment, such operations are aimed at inflicting maximum damage to the Ukrainian forces, and not gaining control of new positions. Therefore, they are reportedly carried out by Russian sabotage groups, without any large-scale ground operations.
At the same time, the Russian army is expanding its control zone to the northwest of Krasnogorovka, threatening Ukrainian forces in Novokalinovo.
The Ukrainian command is trying to use its airborne units to recapture the heights occupied by the Russian military in the area of the plant, including the ash dump. However, so far their counterattack attempts have been unsuccessful.
Over the past day, Russian forces have managed to advance south of Avdeevka. The Russian units have reportedly approached the outskirts of Severnoe and at the moment they are gaining a foothold on a wide front before storming the village. They have also approached the southwestern outskirts of Avdeevka and are reportedly strengthening their positions a few kilometers from the Stroiteley district.
Fierce fighting continues on all frontlines. The pace of Russian advance is low. This is largely due to the desire of the Russian command to inflict maximum damage to the Ukrainian military by continuous artillery fire and heavy airstrikes before any ground operations. Thus, the destruction of the underground Ukrainian ammo depot was reported on the territory of the coke plant.
In its turn, the local Ukrainian command partially withdrew from Avdeevka. The Ukrainian military is trying to counterattack, but the main reserves, previously transferred from other directions, are rather waiting for the start of a large-scale Russian assault on the town.
