January 31 - February 7 live war map: will February be last month of Avdiivka defense?

Avdiivka situation deteriorated significantly: map of combat actions

February 10 will commemorate the fifth month of the defense of Avdiivka, calculated from the moment when Putin issued the directive for the city to be captured by the day of his "re-election." Despite a four-month offensive, the Russians have been unsuccessful in realizing their plans. In the southern sector, specifically from the direction of Vodyane and Opytne, the frontline has witnessed minimal movement. Apart from minor local adjustments, they have not succeeded in significantly disrupting logistics from this flank. Meanwhile, there has been an 800-meter advancement from Pisky towards Pershotravneve.

Map. Avdiivka

On the northern flank, the occupiers had somewhat greater success. They drove the Ukrainian Defense Forces out of the area around the spoil tip and cut the railroad near the village of Stepove. However, Russian troops have been stuck near Stepove for over a month. Their attempts to break through Ukraine’s defenses further north, towards Novokalynove and Ocheretyne, also failed. Moreover, the Ukrainian Armed Forces managed to push the occupiers back a bit near Novokalynove and Novobakhmutivka.

Thus, Russian troops implemented their favored tactic: digging trenches to infiltrate Ukrainian rear positions. This resulted in a week-long intense battle around the Tsarska Okhota restaurant and several streets lined with one-story buildings on the southern outskirts of Avdiivka. However, the Ukrainian Armed Forces failed to completely drive the enemy out of the city.

Map. Avdiivka

However, the main stroke, which Russia had been preparing for a long time, was the occupiers' breakthrough in the north of Avdiivka. In this area, they breached our defensive positions, penetrated the garden cooperative, and established a presence between the coke plant and the sand quarry. Furthermore, they extended their control zone eastward from the quarry to the village of Kamyanka.

The situation is increasingly dire, with the Russians continuously reinforcing their assaults in an attempt to widen the breach they've made in Ukraine’s defenses. Their primary objective is to reach road 00542, which transforms into Hrushevskoho Street and Industrialnyi Avenue within the city. By doing so, they aim to sever the logistics for the military stationed at the strategically significant Zenit position, as well as for the central and southern districts of Avdiivka. Clearly, the General Staff recognizes this imminent threat and is implementing measures to counteract it. Consequently, it is in these days or weeks that the outcome of Avdiivka hangs in the balance – whether it can endure the onslaught from the occupiers until Putin's "election," or whether the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be compelled to retreat to fortified positions beyond the city.

Map. Kupyansk-Krokhmalne    

Luhansk region: the offensive on Kupyansk and Lyman continues

Following Avdiivka, the largest concentration of Russian troops is currently in the Luhansk region, numbering between 55,000 to 60,000. However, their advances were not significant until the Ukrainian Armed Forces faced a shortage of shells, leading to the loss of some positions. The village of Tabaivka has been a battleground for two weeks, situated within the gray zone.

Simultaneously, Russian forces are attempting to advance in various directions with the objective of breaching the front line and infiltrating the rear positions of Ukrainian soldiers. One faction is making progress along the Krokhmalne - Pishchane route from the south, while another is launching attacks on the village of Ivanivka from the north. Finally, a third group of troops seeks to break through along the P-07 road leading to Kupyansk. In this way, they want to cut off the Ukrainian Defense Forces, which are still fighting in Kyslivka and Kotlyarivka. After a week of offensives, the Russians failed to realize their plans.

Meanwhile, further south, in the Lyman sector, Russia continues to attack the villages of Terny and Yampolivka. Despite the fact that Ukrainian brigades fighting in this area boasted of 40 destroyed armored vehicles within a 3-square-kilometer radius, Russia managed to push the front line several hundred meters in the direction of Terny. 

Map. Maryinka-Novomykhailivka

Map of fighting on the Vuhledar front

While positional bloody battles are taking place near Bakhmut without any changes in the front line, the invaders are relying on the Vuhledar direction as a backup after Avdiivka. A breakthrough to Vuhledar could be no less of a tactical success for the Russians than the occupation of Avdiivka. That is why they have also moved a significant amount of resources to this part of the frontline. This week, their attacks were concentrated mostly north of Novomykhailivka, towards Pobieda and Paraskoviivka. In addition, the invaders started attacking Pobieda from the direction of occupied Marinka. Also, from Marinka, Russian troops are conducting assault operations towards Kurakhove. Here they managed to push the Ukrainian Defense Forces several hundred meters north of Heorhiivka.   

South of Novomykhailivka, Russian forces were advancing from Solodke to Vodiane. But here, in one of the assaults, Ukraine’s 72nd Brigade managed to break a convoy of 11 tanks and armored personnel carriers.

The map. Crimea

Ukraine’s counteroffensive: de-occupation of Crimea

On the night of February 1, 6 Ukrainian naval drones attacked the Ivanovets missile boat, which had left Lake Donuzlav, and completely sank it and its crew. At the same time, three Su-24s of the Ukrainian Air Force fired six Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG missiles at the Belbek air base. They hit the command center, the communications center and the aircraft. The commander of the fighter squadron, Lieutenant General Tatarenko, was killed, 10 soldiers were killed, and 3 aircraft were heavily damaged. On the same day, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched missile attacks on the intelligence base in Rozdolne and the Saki airfield in Novofedorivka.

Ukrainian Navy Commander Neizhpapa expressed confidence that the Crimean Bridge would not stand until the end of 2024. 

The maps were generated using information provided by the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, along with data from other open and verified sources. The maps are not absolute in their accuracy and only serve to depict trends within the combat zone.