Capturing Avdiivka will not give Russia any operational advantages - ISW

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports.

ISW analysts note that the Russians are likely to suffer significant losses if they decide to attack the new positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the open field due to the large concentration of Ukrainian troops there.

Russian forces are likely seeking to complicate or prevent the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops in the hope of inflicting operational losses on the Ukrainian armed forces in the area, as the capture of Avdiivka alone would not offer any operationally significant benefits or avenues for operationally significant advances.

At the same time, ISW experts believe that Ukrainian forces may have to launch counterattacks to organize the withdrawal of troops from Avdiivka in order to stabilize the front line.

• The commander of the Tavria operational and strategic grouping of troops, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, reported that as of 9 p.m. on February 16, heavy fighting was going on in Avdiivka. The Russians are practically wiping the city off the map, and they are throwing all their reserves into the assault.
• On the night of February 17, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi announced the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Avdiivka.