Russia holds significant ammunition advantage, increases artillery shelling in Avdiivka direction

Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, commander of the Tavria operational and strategic grouping of troops, reports.

"In the Avdiivka direction, the enemy increases the intensity of artillery shelling, holds a significant advantage in ammunition, boosts the number of assault groups up to battalion-tactical groups, deploys new reserves, and thus achieves some local successes," he wrote.

"At the same time, the operational situation remains dynamic. Defense forces continue to conduct defensive operations, sometimes regaining lost positions, setting up additional positions for detachments, firing positions, and observation posts," added the general.

Over the past day, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled 25 enemy attacks in this direction.

Overall, in the past day in the operational zone of the Tavria group of troops, the invading Russian army conducted 36 airstrikes, engaged in 56 combat clashes, launched 1,074 shellings, and deployed 118 kamikaze drone attacks. 

During this period, the Russian forces lost 5 tanks, 13 combat armored vehicles, 2 artillery systems, 11 vehicles, 2 anti-aircraft missile systems, and 3 units of special equipment. Additionally, the Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully targeted a Russian blindage.

• Ukraine's Defense Forces Command decided to withdraw units from Avdiivka and move to more favorable positions in order to avoid encirclement and save the lives of the military.

• The Armed Forces of Ukraine have withdrawn from the village of Lastochkine, located 6 km from the temporarily occupied Avdiivka, Donetsk region.

• On the same day, Lykhoviy said that Russia continues to try to advance toward Orlivka from three directions, but is not successful. Russian aviation and artillery turn fortifications and villages into ruins, so sometimes the Ukrainian Armed Forces are forced to withdraw.

• Ukrainian troops have withdrawn from the villages of Sieverne and Stepove near Avdiivka, Donetsk region.

• On March 1, the Khortytsia military unit stated that the Russian troops were trying to capture Chasiv Yar to open the way to Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk, and Kramatorsk.