Russian troops advance in Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka directions - ISW

This was reported by analysts of the Institute for the Study of War.

Russian forces continued localized offensive operations near Bakhmut on December 15 and recently made confirmed gains. Geolocated footage published on December 11 indicates that Russian forces recently advanced northwest of Klishchiivka (7km southwest of Bakhmut).

It is noted that Russian sources are increasingly characterizing the localized Russian offensive effort around Bakhmut as an operation to encircle Chasiv Yar (12km west of Bakhmut). Russian milbloggers characterized Russian attacks west of Bakhmut near Bohdanivka and Khromove and south of Bakhmut near Klishchiivka and Andriivka as an organized push towards Chasiv Yar.

"ISW assesses that Russian forces are at least nine kilometers away from Chasiv Yar," the statement reads.

Instead, in the Avdiivka direction, the invading Russian forces advanced near Stepove and Pervomaiske. Russian milbloggers claimed that the forces advanced near the railway line north of Stepove and recently captured positions in a forest area north of Stepove.

In addition, Russia allegedly advanced in western Marinka. Instead, the propagandists claimed that Russian troops had almost completely captured Marinka, while Ukrainian forces controlled less than two percent of the town.

• Russian troops occupied 96 percent of the territory of Marinka in the Donetsk region.