We are preparing for new wave of escalation in Avdiivka sector - city military administration head

He said this on Espreso TV. 

"Over the past three days, we have seen a decrease in shelling of our community. Today the shelling has already increased. As of 2:00 p.m., 18 massive attacks and 6 airstrikes have already taken place. This has not happened in the last three days," said Barabash.

He emphasized that the invading Russian troops are preparing for new assault operations around Avdiivka.

"The situation at our positions around Avdiivka has been very hot in recent days. The invading Russian troops are not giving up their attempts to surround the city. Not with as many assaults and personnel as recently, but they are still active. There was no silence at all at the positions. Of course, they need a pause to regroup and they are using it. Therefore, we expect the invaders to become active again in the coming days. Everyone is talking about it," he added.

Russian offensive on the key city of Avdiivka in eastern Donetsk region

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 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.