Will the city of Avdiivka become the “second Bakhmut”?

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Vladimir Putin’s troops (70) still fail to break through in the grueling battle for the city of Bakhmut. According to the General Staff in Kiev, a “weakening of the offensive momentum” of the Russian armed forces has become apparent. This is stated by the authority in its daily situation report.

But the Ukrainian mercenaries cannot breathe a sigh of relief. According to Ukrainian information, the Russians are already targeting the next city. “The Russian occupier is constantly trying to encircle Avdiivka,” Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi, military spokesman for the southern armed forces, said on Twitter. The small town of Avdiivka is located in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.

“It is quite possible that the city will fall for Bachmut”

Over the past three weeks, Russian troops have repeatedly tried to encircle the city. In this they have partially succeeded. According to Australian war reporter Francis Farrell, reporting from Ukraine, Avdiivka is already surrounded on three sides.

The prognosis of military spokesman Dmytrashkivskyi is therefore bleak: the city could soon become the “second Bachmut”. War journalist Farrell goes one step further. A few days ago, the journalist posted on Twitter about the “heaviest bombing” he had ever witnessed in the city, writing: “It is quite possible that the city will fall to Bachmut.”

Nevertheless, spokesman Dmytrashkivskyi points out on state television that the Russian advance is also accompanied by high losses: “In the past day, the enemy has lost about three companies there.”

Russian troops post “creeping gains in territory”

Despite losses, Putin’s forces in Avdiivka appear to be making steady progress. The Ministry of Defense in London also announced this on Monday, citing intelligence findings. The Russian army had made “creeping territorial gains” over the past three weeks.

The British also dare to make a comparison with Bachmut: the situation is the same as the situation around the town of Bachmut, which is located further north. “Ukrainian forces continue their organized defense, but their westward supply routes are increasingly threatened by the Russian encirclement attack,” the defense ministry said.

Although Avdiivka has been heavily fought over in recent weeks, the city has been at war for much longer. Located just north of the large city of Donetsk, Avdiivka has been a front-line city since the start of the Donbass struggle in 2014. Russian troops have been trying to take it ever since. According to the ministry, the city has now been largely destroyed. (dzc/AFP/SDA)

Source: Blick