Russia seeks to regain initiative for political maneuver by attacking Avdiivka - military expert Zgurets

The Russian enemy has now intensified its activity along almost the entire frontline. Over the past day, the number of combat engagements increased by about a third. All sections of the front are very difficult, but the main attention is focused on Avdiivka. Engagement in this area can be used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to destroy all the reserves used by Russia.

The situation around Avdiivka

Speaking of the aggressor's military objectives, Russia wants to improve its position before winter, to secure traffic on the highways through Donetsk. This also applies to railroad traffic on the Yasynuvata-Donetsk section. This is a large and important railway junction for the Russian forces, and it is to achieve these goals that the enemy seeks to cut our logistics routes to Avdiivka and try to encircle our troops in Avdiivka.

Now the enemy's assault actions are going on in several directions. They are trying to encircle Avdiivka from the south and from the north, and this is somewhat similar to the attack on Bakhmut. In particular, because the Russians are fixated on capturing this area, despite the losses they have already suffered and will continue to suffer.

Russian offensive

The situation is most difficult in the north, where the enemy is pressing from Krasnohorivka to Stepove. The Russian troops have been actively advancing there since October 10 in a fairly narrow area, about 2 km wide. Significant forces have been concentrated there. The total Russian losses are enormous, but the invading troops continue to advance and in the north they have approached the railroad. In one of the sections, they are trying to break into the buildings of a coke plant, which are important elements of our defense line. The spoil heap next to the coke plant is in the gray zone.

Now, if you look at the map, it is in the Avdiivka direction that the Russians have the opportunity to achieve operational tactical success. This was reported by Captain Valerii Prozapas with the 36th Detached Marine Brigade on Espreso TV. 

"Avdiivka is de facto semi-surrounded. The Russians need to bring down the offensive potential of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, so they have dramatically intensified their attacks on Avdiivka, this is the first point. The second is political, because they have long had nothing to be proud of and nothing to sell to their population as a victory, at least an interim one. They have presidential elections coming up. I think a combination of these reasons is why they started to gather forces and launched this operation in Avdiivka," said Prozapas.

According to him, the method of offensive actions of the Russian troops will be endlessly meaty assaults, the destruction of all living things. In the next few weeks and months, it will be very hot in this area, so the decision to evacuate civilians is the right one.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces need more resources and weapons to grind down the invading Russian troops. The only way to stop, weaken, and destroy the Russian military machine is through direct military confrontation.