Putin wants to turn Donbas into dead zone - General Kryvonos

He expressed this opinion on Espreso TV.

"Russia's logic is a desire to destroy everything possible and leave not even a gray zone, but a dead zone. For many years to come, Donbas will be perceived by Ukrainians as a scorched earth, covered with a huge number of human bones. This is an information and psychological impact on future generations of Ukrainians," the general said.

Serhiy Kryvonos summarized that this is Russia's attempt to turn the war into a classic genocide - the destruction of Ukrainians as a nation.

The Russian offensive near Avdiivka: what is known

On October 11, the Institute for the Study of War noted that the Russian occupying army had intensified its offensive around Avdiivka in the Donetsk region. The city has been a frontline one for almost 10 years, and now Russian troops are trying to encircle it.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that in the Avdiivka direction, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled 10 attacks near Avdiivka and another 8 attacks east of Stepove and southeast of Sieverne in the Donetsk region.

The head of Avdiivka City Military Administration, Vitaliy Barabash, reported shelling of Avdiivka, Donetsk region, which killed an elderly man and wounded two civilians.

On October 12, experts of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) named the real reasons for the Russian offensive on Avdiivka.

Vitaliy Barabash, head of the Avdiivka City Military Administration, noted that Russian troops are trying to concentrate their forces north of the city, launching assault operations.

On October 13, the ISW reported that in three days, Russian troops had captured 4.52 square kilometers of territory from different directions near Avdiivka. The occupying Russian army suffered significant losses in equipment and manpower. 

On October 16, the American ISW noted that Russia's attempts to advance near Avdiivka had slowed down, and the invaders had suffered numerous losses of soldiers and equipment. Barabash then emphasized that Russia had failed in its plan to encircle Avdiivka. On October 17, ISW noted that in the coming days, Russian forces may intensify their attempts to encircle Avdiivka, and British intelligence believes that the Russian offensive on the city will be the largest since the beginning of the year, as they want to occupy Donetsk region within its administrative boundaries.

In addition, after the start of the offensive on Avdiivka, Russia's losses in equipment became five times higher than Ukraine's: during the six days of the offensive, the Russian army lost at least 118 units of equipment compared to 25 units of equipment of Ukraine.

On October 24, DeepState co-founder Roman Pohorilyi stated that the Russian army was not retreating from Avdiivka despite its losses and disadvantageous position.