(Reuters) – Russian forces are carrying out heavy attacks on the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka, but due to significant losses, they have shifted their strategy to focus more on air attacks rather than ground advances, according to Ukrainian officials.
After failing to make progress in Kyiv during their invasion in February 2022, Russia has turned its attention to advancing in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in the east.
In June, Ukraine launched a counteroffensive, capturing villages in the east and south. However, the progress has been slower compared to the rapid advance they made through the northeast a year ago.
Currently, Russia seems to be focusing on Avdiivka, a town known for its large coking plant and now a symbol of Ukrainian resistance.
Oleksandr Shtupun, spokesperson for Ukraine’s southern group of forces, stated, “The enemy has dropped approximately 40 guided aerial bombs in the span of two nights. However, the number of ground assaults has decreased by half compared to the previous days.”
He added, “This is not surprising considering that in the past five days, the enemy has suffered around 2,400 casualties, both dead and wounded, in the Donetsk region.”
Most of these casualties have been concentrated near Avdiivka and the nearby town of Maryinka, according to Shtupun.
Head of Avdiivka’s military administration, Vitaliy Barabash, reported relentless artillery and air attacks on the town. He stated, “The enemy is persistently attempting to surround the city and has deployed new forces from the north and south.”
Barabash added, “For the past two days, they have been operating in small groups, trying to find weaknesses in our defense, but without success. Our defense line is holding.”
Avdiivka was briefly captured by Russian-backed separatists in 2014, but Ukrainian forces regained control and established strong fortifications.
Russian forces have also been launching attacks further north in the area of Kupiansk. This town was initially seized by Russian forces during the invasion but was recaptured by Ukraine last year in their northeastern offensive.
Oleh Synehub, the Kharkiv Regional Governor, revealed that two civilians were killed in an artillery strike on a village near Kupiansk.
Russian accounts of the fighting have failed to mention Avdiivka this week but have highlighted successful artillery and air strikes near Bakhmut, a town northeast of Avdiivka captured by Russian forces in May after months of battles.
It is important to note that Reuters could not independently verify the reports of battlefield activity from either side.
(Reporting by Ron Popeski and Maria Starkova; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
