Russia Advances Near Avdiivka, but Suffers ‘Significant Losses’

Russian forces made confirmed advances around the embattled town of Avdiivka on Monday but are suffering “significant losses,” according to Ukrainian officials.

Vitaly Barabash, the head of the town’s military administration, said there was a “very difficult situation,” with Moscow’s forces targeting the main road used to bring in supplies.

Speaking to Radio Liberty, he said: “… 22 kilometers (~14 miles) of road is constantly under fire, day and night.”

“This complicates evacuation and delivery of aid. The enemy is trying to cut it off. Any movement is a signal to open fire.”

Geolocated footage suggests Moscow’s troops advanced southwest of Krasnohorivka, which lies some 5 kilometers (~3 miles) to the northeast of Avdiivka on Monday.

Much of the fighting in recent weeks has centered on a huge slag heap known as “Terrikon” next to the Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant.

Pro-Kremlin sources on Monday claimed Russian forces had advanced to the railway line north of the waste heap, though heavy Ukrainian artillery fire had prevented them from taking it.

Ukrainian sources concede the situation is difficult and the Terrikon is currently a “gray zone,” saying: “Russian assault groups have attacked several times, but most assault fighters are destroyed, and the Russians cannot secure [their positions].”

“The tactical situation remains favorable for Ukrainian troops.”

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In his daily address on Monday evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky paid tribute to the troops defending the town, saying: “Their resilience is the strength for all Ukraine now.”

Russia has for weeks now been throwing huge numbers of men and materiel at Andiivka in a so far unsuccessful and hugely costly attempt to take the town.

Last week a massed assault resulted in what was likely Russia’s biggest land defeat in nine months.

According to the Ukrainian military, Russia has been losing close to 1,000 men each day during its attempt to take the town, as well as tens of tanks and armored vehicles.

Videos posted on social media also suggest that some Russian troops are being sent into battle in obsolete, 70-year-old vehicles, while others show columns of Russian vehicles being obliterated by Ukrainian artillery.

Avdiivka has been a symbol of Ukrainian resistance since 2014, after it briefly fell to Russian-backed separatists.

It lies just 15 kilometers (nine miles) from the Moscow-held city of Donetsk, the capital of the Donetsk Region, which Russia said last September it was annexing.

Andriy Yusov, spokesperson for the Ukraine Defense Ministry's Intelligence Directorate (HUR), told the Espreso TV news outlet on Monday: “It is true that Avdiivka has significance.”

“This is not the first instance the occupying forces have boosted tension with declarations of taking over all of Donetsk and Luhansk,” he said.

“Their plans have failed, the deadlines pushed back. This is just another episode of tension.”

Built around a huge coke plant, Avdiivka had a pre-war population of around 30,000 people.

Around 1,600 remain, according to local authorities, living in basements converted into bomb shelters.

The city center has been all but destroyed through daily Russian artillery shelling and a months-long aerial bombing campaign.