The Russian occupiers became more active on the entire front line. During the last week, they are trying to break through the defenses in the Kupyansk-Lymansk direction, Marinsk, Bakhmutsk. There are attacks on the flank in the area of Verbovoy, Kopan, Novoprokopivka in the Tokmak direction.
On October 10, the occupiers began active offensive actions near Avdiivka in Donetsk region, which continue to this day. The invaders are attacking from several sides.
According to reports, in the area of Avdiyivka, three Russian battalions, numbering about two thousand servicemen, dozens of armored vehicles and aircraft are resisting the enemy's offensive.
However, it is worth noting that the fortifications of Ukraine in the Avdiivka region of the Donetsk region have been strengthened since 2014. The enemy has not been able to break through the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine there for nine years.
The goals of the Russians The Russian occupiers are pursuing several goals in the direction of Avdiyivka. One of them is access to the administrative borders of the Donetsk region. From the very beginning of the large-scale invasion, the Russians set themselves the task of seizing the territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions within the administrative borders. They are trying to solve this task in the last two years.
In addition to the tactical importance of the city, it is also home to one of the largest coke-chemical plants in Europe - the Avdiiv coke-chemical plant.
Avdiyivka is part of the Donetsk-Makiivka agglomeration, and the positions around it make it possible to control the northern outskirts of Donetsk and Yasynuvata, the southern outskirts of Horlivka, as well as the M04 Donetsk-Horlivka expressway.
The peculiarity of the settlement is that it is located more than 15 kilometers from the center of Donetsk. Control over Avdiivka allows the Armed Forces of Ukraine to actually dominate the enemy's so-called Donetsk agglomeration.
In addition, control over Avdiyivka allows the Armed Forces of Ukraine to control permanent deployment points, ammunition depots and the entire military infrastructure of the occupiers. Therefore, the Russians are trying to push the Armed Forces of Ukraine away from Avdiivka and Donetsk by at least 30 km.
"DNR" in question In fact, the very fact of the existence of the so-called "DNR" is in question. Especially after the successful military operations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Opytny region, where the distance to Donetsk is three kilometers. There was a question about the possibility of a breakthrough of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to Donetsk. Therefore, the Russians are trying to attack from the direction of Krasnohorivka and Vodyanyi. There is a corridor there that allows the Armed Forces of Ukraine to safely redeploy, deliver ammunition and evacuate the wounded. The occupiers are trying to block this corridor and surround our military.
The main efforts of the Russian troops are aimed at encircling Avdiivka - for this they are trying to capture several villages located on the flanks, including Stepov, Berdychy and Severny.
The occupiers tried to attack the flanks, taking into account the previous tactical offensives from the direction of Krasnohorivka on the Steppe. The armed forces of Ukraine managed to prevent strikes on the flanks of the Russian invaders. This did not allow them to advance and create conditions for an operational environment. Currently, the occupiers are trying to press from the Vodyane-Opytne direction. However, the position of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in this settlement is stable.
It should be noted that in the last two days, the occupiers achieved certain tactical successes, in particular, in the Tericon area. They have significant forces in terms of the number of armored vehicles, personnel and, most importantly, fire support.
According to information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the enemy actively attacked Pervomaiske and Severnye, but did not succeed. A more difficult situation arose near Krasnohorivka, periodically the enemy reached the railway line, but it was not possible to hold there. The district of Novomykhailivka is being specified.
However, the Russians are losing a lot of human resources and equipment. They did not take into account the previous experience of fighting for Avdiivka. They attack with tank columns, as was the case during the battles for Vugledar, when the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed a large number of enemy vehicles. This is a World War II tactic. They also use "meat assault" tactics with the help of so-called "Storm-Z" groups, ex-prisoners who are used as stormtroopers. Their military training is minimal, so they try to achieve their goal with numbers.
"Muradivshchyna" and forecasts
Currently, the Russians complain about the decision of the command regarding the assault on Avdiyivka and ask when the "Muradivshchyna" will be "uprooted".
I explain: this is the same Russian general Rustam Muradov, who led the "meat assaults" of Vugledar. It was he who threw the columns of tanks to storm Ugledar. Therefore, the occupiers have a question: how long can this idiocy continue? And, accordingly, the Russians already have an assessment of the events regarding the assault on Avdiyivka, they ask themselves the question, will this be the second Bakhmut? At the same time, they understand that they stormed Bakhmut for nine months.
According to expert Oleksandr Kovalenko, the Russian Federation became active near Avdiyivka because it wants to present Putin with a new "epic victory" by the New Year.
In his own way, the head of the Avdiyiv city military administration, Vitaly Barabash, said that the Kremlin set a new date for the occupiers to enter the administrative borders of Donetsk region - December 31. According to him, for the fifth day, the enemy has not stopped either assaulting or shelling positions around the city.
As for the statements of Ukrainian experts that, allegedly, Putin set a deadline of December 31 for the capture of Avdiyivka. I repeat once again: Avdiivka, unlike Bakhmut, is a continuous industrial zone. The firing positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been prepared here since 2014, the Russians themselves are forced to admit that the positions are "rolled" in concrete. The Avdiiv Coke Plant is not even Mariupol or Azovstal, because the positions were prepared in advance. They have been unable to break through the defense line for nine years.
Active hostilities in the Avdiyiv direction will probably not end in the near future. Recent events in Ugledar should be mentioned. The invaders stormed this city for months. There they also threw columns of armored vehicles, which were destroyed by the Ukrainian army. And as we see now, Vugledar is under the control of Ukraine.
It is significant that due to the active fighting for Avdiivka, the enemy's losses increased sharply. Thus, according to the operational command "Tavria", only in the last day the aggressor lost about 644 soldiers and dozens of units of military equipment.
It was a surprise that the offensive of the occupiers in the Avdiyivka area did not come as a surprise to our strategic partners. Moreover, the representative of the National Security Council of the White House, John Kirby, said that the Armed Forces will repel these Russian attacks.
"Ukrainians are working hard to repel these offensive actions. The progress of the Russian units, even where it exists, looks very insignificant," he noted.
Let me remind you that currently there are about 1,600 civilians in Avdiivka. Despite the shelling, local authorities and volunteers are trying to evacuate people. The delivery of food and humanitarian aid has been suspended. According to the local military administration, food, medicine and hygiene products are currently sufficient.
