He said this on the air of the Espreso TV channel.
"The occupying Russian forces have a dual goal in their offensive on Avdiivka. Firstly, they believe that they will force the leadership of the Armed Forces to bring reserves from the south or from Bakhmut. Secondly, they desperately need some kind of political statement, to raze something to the ground and formally take it," explained Sazonov.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces serviceman also added that by attacking Avdiivka, the occupiers hope to force Kyiv to start negotiations.
"If the Russians manage to destroy Avdiivka like Bakhmut and formally enter these piles of broken bricks, it will be an appealing argument for the domestic audience. This is also an argument for Ukraine's international partners. They say that the Ukrainian counteroffensive is no longer underway, but we are advancing and have taken Avdiivka, so we need to bring Kyiv to the negotiating table. And this political goal is more important than the tactical one of pulling Ukrainian reserves," Sazonov emphasized.
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.