fbpx
Wikipedia

Battle of Avdiivka (2022–present)

November 12, 2023

Battle of Avdiivka
Part of the eastern Ukraine offensive of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

A destroyed building in Avdiivka after Russian shelling, March 2023
Date21 February 2022 – present
(1 year, 8 months and 3 weeks)
Location
Avdiivka (and surrounding villages), Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine
48°8′N 37°45′E / 48.133°N 37.750°E / 48.133; 37.750
Status Ongoing
Belligerents
 Russia
 Donetsk People's Republic (until 30 September 2022)		  Ukraine
Units involved
  • Ukrainian Ground Forces
  • Ukrainian Air Force[3]
    • Casualties and losses
    50+ civilians killed, 35+ wounded

    The battle of Avdiivka is an ongoing military engagement between the Russian Armed Forces and Russian-controlled Donbas militias on one side and the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the other. It is being fought over the city of Avdiivka, located in the Donbas region.[8] Fighting started when violence erupted in the Donbas again on 21 February 2022, when Russian president Vladimir Putin recognized the Donetsk People's Republic.[9] Days later, when Russia invaded Ukraine, Avdiivka was among the first places to be attacked.[10]

    Avdiivka has been described as a "gateway" to Russia-occupied Donetsk, and continued Ukrainian control of the city has prevented Russia from using nearby Donetsk and its resources as a communications hub.[11] However, Avdiivka is one of the most fortified settlements in Ukraine, which has made it very difficult for Russia to break through, despite heavy fighting for over a year.[12][11][13]

    Background

    Further information: Battle of Avdiivka (2017)

    Avdiivka is a strategic location in the heart of the Donetsk region, near Donetsk, the region's principal city.[13] Avdiivka has been at the front lines of the Russo-Ukrainian War since 2015.[8] In 2017 the battle of Avdiivka resulted in destruction in the town, though Ukrainian forces still held it.[8]

    Battle

    Early fighting (21 February – 17 April 2022)

    Fighting began on 21 February 2022, when Russian forces alongside separatist militias renewed fighting in Avdiivka.[10] When Russia officially started its invasion of Ukraine, Avdiivka was one of its main targets. On 13 March, Russian forces bombed the Avdiivka Coke Plant[14] although the Russians accused Ukraine of sabotaging it.[15] The National Police of Ukraine said on 22 March that Russia used Tornado-S MLRSs in bombardments of Avdiivka, allegedly causing civilian casualties.[16] It was reported on 25 March that Artem Murakhovskyi, a commander of the Azov Regiment, was killed in Avdiivka.[17]

    Escalation (18 April – 27 July 2022)

     
    Avdiivka 1st school after shelling by white phosphorus munitions

    On 18 April, Russia renewed its invasion on Eastern Ukraine, with both sides proclaiming the beginning of the "battle of Donbas" and Russia beginning to heavily shell and attack Avdiivka.[18][19][20] Around 2,000 of Avdiivka's residents were forced to flee underground.[21][22][23] Ukraine claimed to have repelled Russian advances in Avdiivka on 19 April.[24]

    During the battle, use of white phosphorus munitions by Russian forces was reported several times. Governor of Donetsk Oblast Pavlo Kyrylenko reported a phosphorus attack on the city industrial zone on 26 March,[25] on the area of the coking plant on 26 April, and on the city center, causing several fires, the next day.[26][27] On 29 April, videos of the Russian army shelling Ukrainian forces in Avdiivka with a thermobaric weapon were published.[28] On 18 May, Avdiivka 1st school was destroyed by a Russian attack with phosphorus munitions.[29][30] On May 26, Ukraine's General Staff reported that Russian forces were advancing through Avdiivka, capturing many areas in the city.[31]

    On 1 June, the DPR took control of a major highway.[32] On 6 June, the DPR took territory near Kamianka.[citation needed] On 12 June, Russia again bombed the Avdiivka Coke Plant.[33] School No. 6 was destroyed on 21 June, being the third school destroyed in Avdiivka.[34] On 24 June, Russian forces fired on Avdiivka.[35] Russian forces later captured Novoselivka Druha on 4 July, which is 10 km northeast of Avdiivka, in an attempt to encircle the city.[36] On 7 July, Russian forces shelled Avdiivka for 24 hours. They hit infrastructure, a hospital, residential buildings, a bus depot, and the Avdiivka Coke Plant.[37]

    On 18 July, the DPR claimed it had "half-surrounded" Avdiivka, having blocked two of the roads leading into the town. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) an American based non-profit think-tank, also stated that fighting north of Avdiivka had intensified on July 18.[38] However, Igor Girkin said that the DPR's forces were unable to make many gains due to Ukrainian artillery.[39]

    Renewed assaults and capture of Pisky (28 July 2022 – March 2023)

    See also: Battle of Pisky

    On 28 July, DPR and Russian forces launched a offensive to surround Avdiivka. Russian and separatist forces assaulted the towns of Krasnohorivka, Pisky, and other towns north of Avdiivka.[40] On 31 July, the Head of the Avdiivka City Military Administration Vitalii Barabash said that only 10% of the pre-war population of Avdiivka remained, or about 2,500 people.[41]

    Ukraine said on 5 August that it lost the Butivka coal mine to Russia that was pushed to the outskirts of Avdiivka.[42][43] On August 7, combat footage showed that Russian forces had reached the centre of Pisky,[44] and they fully captured the entirety of Pisky by 24 August.[45] In early September, several separatist units, including the Sparta Battalion and Somalia Battalion, launched an attack in the wider Avdiivka area, most importantly near Pisky.[4] As of late September, the Wall Street Journal reported that Ukrainian forces "remain[ed] on the defensive" in Avdiivka.[46] On 10 October, Ukraine said Russia was continuing its offensive in Avdiivka and was trying to encircle the city.[47] In mid-January 2023, Russian and DNR forces made an attempt to capture the village of Vodyane, the action was described by a British military blogger as "calamitous".[48]

    Later encirclement attempts (March 2023 – October 2023)

    In March 2023 Ukrainian commander at Avdiivka said that Russian forces were trying to fully encircle the city.[49] On 24 April, the Ukrainians claimed to have repulsed a Russian attack, and to have killed or wounded 200 Russian soldiers and destroyed 20 pieces of equipment.[50] On 21 May, the Ukrainians claimed to have defeated a mechanized Russian assault near Avdiivka. During the engagement, they claimed to have killed 40 Russian soldiers and to have destroyed 5 armored vehicles, including at least two tanks.[51]

    Fighting in the battle intensified during the beginning of the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive, with Russian forces putting pressure on the outskirts of the town and Ukrainians digging in.[52] On 10 September 2023, Avdiivka City Military Administration Head Vitaliy Barabash reported that Ukrainian forces had gained a foothold in the urban portion of the village of Opytne 3km southwest of Avdiivka and 2km north of the Donetsk International Airport claiming to secured the southern border of the city, ending a threat of near encirclement.[53][54]

    Renewed Russian offensive (10 October 2023 – present)

     
    A shelled residential building in Avdiivka, October 2023

    Starting on 10 October, Russian forces attacked the north, west and south of Avdiivka with armoured assault groups and helicopters, supported by artillery.[55] Three motorized rifle brigades of the Russian 8th Combined Arms Army began a concerted offensive action around Avdiivka southwest near Sieverne and northwest near Stepove [uk] and Krasnohorivka. All Russian units involved in the renewed offensive observed so far are members of the Donetsk people's militias the 8th CAA absorbed at the start of the invasion.[1]

    On 11 October, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Russia initiated 18 combat engagements against the city during the last 24 hours. Additionally the Ukrainian General Staff reported that the Russian army launched one missile strike and 36 air strikes, while the Ukrainian air force launched 12 strikes.[3][56] Andrii Kovaliov, a spokesman for the Ukrainian General Staff, reported separately in an interview with Radio Svoboda that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had prior knowledge of this attempted assault and were ready for it.[57][58] On 12 October ISW assessed that Russian forces "have not secured any major breakthrough" and are unlikely to cut off Ukrainian forces due to heavy losses, equivalent to battalion tactical group in armoured vehicles.[59]

    Russian forces would maintain days-long assaults, only showing signs of letting up by 16 October when Barabash reported that Russian forces only attempted to storm the city 15 times, compared to the 60 time average during the middle of the week.[60] Andriy Serhan, the commander of the 59th Motorized Brigade's drone platoon, stated that the Russian assault had failed, but that the Russians are regrouping for another attempt.[6][61][62] Additionally, Ukrainian sources reported that Russian positions were reinforced with three units based on DNR militias, the 114th, 15th, and 21st Motor Rifle Brigades while the 30th Motor Rifle Brigade is kept in reserve.[63]

    On 18 October, the 21st Motor Rifle Brigade, made up of professional soldiers, launched an attack to take a huge pile of coke slack (formed from the nearby Avdiivka Coke Plant), and while they managed to take some forward positions, they failed to take the “hill”. The Ukrainians claimed to have destroyed 97 Russian tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and armoured personnel carriers. Another Ukrainian source claimed that 620 Russian soldiers and 34 units of military equipment were lost on the 18th.[64]

    On 19 October, a new concerted Russian push began with the DNR's “Kluny” Sabotage, Assault and Reconnaissance group making gains north of Spartak, DNR forces are also attempting a frontal assault of Avdiivka, as opposed to encircling, with the 1st Motorized Rifle Brigade attacking a fortified restaurant, the “Tsarska Okhota”, on the city's south-eastern outskirts. The 9th Motorized Rifle Brigade reported to have advanced "a few hundred" meters in the Vodyane-Netaylove direction. The 114th Motorized Rifle Brigade and 277th Infantry Battalion attacked near Stepove. The 1454th Motorized Rifle Regiment and the 21st Motorized Rifle Brigade attacked near Kamyanka. Lastly the “Pyatnashka” and ”Yugra” volunteer battalions attempted to advance to the N20 highway east of Avdiivka. This new assault has not secured any portion of the Urban areas of the villages surrounding Avdiivka, with reported gains being limited to the rural outskirts.[65]

    On 20 October, a report by David Axe of Forbes stated that the Ukrainian claim of 175 Russian armored vehicles destroyed (between the previous Thursday and Friday), including 55 tanks, is nearly 20 times higher than the daily average of three Russian tanks destroyed since February 2022. Meanwhile, according to a report from the Euromaidan Press, 65% of the nearly 1,400 Russian soldiers claimed to have been killed on 19 October occurred on just two 5 kilometer segments of the front near Avdiivka. They also stated that these losses are almost 50% higher than the first day of the offensive, although this attack was reportedly not as intense as the first one.[66] On 22 October, the ISW assessed that the Russian offensive effort that started on 19 October failed and that Russian forces were again pausing their efforts to regroup and rearm. Additionally, Russian milbloggers disputed among each other if there was a Ukrainian counteroffensive towards the villages of Pisky and Opytne.[67]

    On 22 October, a Ukrainian spokesperson, Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun reported that Russian command is still moving more units from the front in Zaporizhia to Avdiivka, namely the 6th Motor Rifle Division.[67] Russian and Ukrainian sources also reported that Russia has committed elements of the Redut PMC to Avdiivka, alongside the 106th Airborne.[68] It was also reported on 24 October that Russia had moved elements of its 41st Combined Arms Army to reserve positions near Avdiivka.[2] On 25 October, a Russian milblogger claimed that Ukrainian forces had pushed Russian forces out of the village of Berdychi 10km northeast of Avdiivka.[69] On 26 October Russian milbloggers attributed rain and poor weather for the decrease in intensity around Avdiivka.[70]

    On 28 October, a Russian military correspondent interviewed the commander of the Arbat Battalion reported that elements of the Wagner Group had joined the Battalion, which is part of the DNR's “Dikaya Division of Donbas” and the “Pyatnashka Brigade", and that the main objective of Russian forces across the front is the capture of Avdiivka.[5] Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets assessed that Russia has committed the "main force" of the 8th Combined Arms Army, consisting of the DNR's entire 1st Army Corps as well as the Luhansk People's Republic's (LPR) 2nd Army Corps, 20th Motorized Rifle Division, and the 150th Motorized Rifle Division to the front around Avdiivka.[5] The same day Russian forces advanced north of Avdiivka capturing a elevated slag dump across the railroad and Avdiivka Coke Plant.[71]

    On 31 October, Ukrainian official Oleksandr Shtupun claimed that Russia has launched a new assault on Avdiivka consisting of Storm-Z penal units.[72]

    Casualties

    Military casualties

    Russian and Ukrainian losses have been described as heavy, with the battle being compared to the battle of Bakhmut that left tens of thousands of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers killed.[71]

    Ukrainian claims of Russian casualties

    On 10 October, geolocated footage recolected by military analyst Andrew Perpetua, showed 70 Russian and 15 Ukrainian destroyed vehicles. However, Ukrainian sources claimed even higher losses. Total Russian casualties in just one day were claimed by Ukraine high as 34 tanks and 91 other armored vehicles destroyed, with human losses reportedly being 820 killed and 2,400 wounded.[73]

    According to an analysis by the Kyiv Post, the Russian 2nd Guards Combined Arms Army has been rendered “combat ineffective” as a result of heavy losses suffered during the offensive in this area. Its worst-hit unit, the 114th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade, lost 190 dead and 160 wounded in October, from an initial strength of 1,800 to 2,000 men, of which just 600 to 800 were assigned to “combat duties”. The Ukrainians listed eleven brigades or equivalents under the 2nd CAA’s command which have suffered similar losses, with a total 1,500 front-line soldiers dead and 2,000 seriously wounded out of a total strength (including non-combat troops) of 20,000 to 25,000 men.[74] Meanwhile, according to Ragnar Gudmundsson, an Iceland-based analyst, “Russia hit a probable wartime record of more than 1,400 killed in combat in a single day on Oct. 20 and averaged 900 men a day killed in combat from 10-20 October, coinciding with its push toward Avdiivka, a key city on the eastern front north of Donetsk city”.[75]

    On 13 October, according to the Kyiv Post, independent analysts estimates that the Russians suffered losses of 1,000 to 2,000 troops killed or wounded in the first 96 hours of the offensive, along with 30 to 40 tanks and 90 to 100 armored personnel carriers. Meanwhile Ukrainian drone operators reported losses of 100 Russian soldiers and two tanks within the first ten minutes of the fighting with no losses of their own.[76]

    On 14 October, Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian military, claimed that the Russians had lost 3,000 soldiers and 300 pieces of equipment in the past five days since the beginning of the Russian’s offensive.[77] U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, in an October 26, 2023 briefing, reported that fresh Russian troops were being thrown into the battle "under-trained, under-equipped, and unprepared for combat," in "human wave" attacks. Retreating Russian soldiers, the U.S. reported, were apparently being shot by orders of their own commanders. By the end of October, the U.S. was estimating that losses in the fight had cost Russia a battalion's worth of equipment, including "at least" 125 armoured vehicles.[13]

    On 20 October, according to Ukrainian sources, the Russians lost 900 soldiers killed and wounded, as well as 50 tanks and 100 armored vehicles damaged or destroyed. In addition, Ukrainian soldiers operating there also claimed that they had destroyed 200 armored vehicles over the last four days alone.[78][79][80]

    On 22 October, the fighting had become so intense that Ukrainian military historian Vasyl Pavlov compared the situation around Avdiivka to the Battles of Rzhev during World War II. “What’s happening around Avdiivka can be compared to a series of events that took place on the Eastern Front during World War II, or let’s say such a well-known event as the Battle of Rzhev,” he claimed in an interview with Espreso TV. In addition, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential administration, told TV Rain that Russia had lost between 5,000 and 6,000 troops in just over a week of their offensive in Avdiivka, as well as 400 armored vehicles. Indeed, according to the Ukrainian military, by 23 October the Russians had been losing as many as 1,000 men killed in action each day during its attempt to take the town, as well as “tens of tanks and armored vehicles”. The recent Russian attacks on Avdiivka “have contributed to a 90% increase in Russian casualties recorded by the Ukrainian MoD (Ministry of Defense),” according to British military intelligence.[64][81][82]

    On 28 October, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov claimed that Ukrainian troops had killed 4,000 Russian soldiers in the battle so far, which roughly lines up with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s claim the previous day, that Russia had lost “at least a brigade”(between 2,000 and 8,000 personnel) near Avdiivka.[83]

    On 29 October, Ukrainian spokesman, Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun, claimed that they had killed 6,500 Russian soldiers and destroyed 100 tanks (including T-90s) and 250 armored vehicles since 10 October. “If we talk about losses in such a short period on a relatively small part of the front line, Avdiivka is already the largest defeat on the part of the Russians”, he also stated.[84]

    Civilian casualties

     
    Victims of the shelling of the market on 12 October 2022

    53 civilians have been killed and wounded in the city since the start of the invasion.

    On 8 April, one person was killed and another injured by Russian shelling.[85] On 13 April, one civilian was killed and 12 were wounded in Avdiivka.[86] On 2 May, three civilians were killed due to Russian bombardment.[87] On 3 May 2022, according to a news article on Dutch outlet Nederlandse Omroep Stichting, at least 10 people died and 15 more were injured during an attack on a coking plant. Allegedly, the attack took place after the workers had finished work and were waiting for the bus.[88] On 23 May, Russian shelling and artillery bombarded Avdiivka all night long. Three civilians were injured and 20 houses as well as a kindergarten were damaged severely.[89] On 30 May, one civilian was killed during a street fight in Avdiivka.[90] 2 civilians were killed on June 12.[91] On 5 July, 2 civilians were killed in Avdiivka.[92] One civilian was killed and two wounded on 7 July.[37] One civilian was killed on 6 August.[93] On 12 October 7 civilians were killed and 12 more were injured after a Russian shelling of the city market.[94][95] On 12 October, 2023, an 85 year-old civilian was killed by indiscriminate Russian artillery bombardment of the city, two other civilians would also be injured. Ukraine has opened a pre-trial investigation into the attack if it was a war crime as per Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.[96]

    By October 2023, 1,000 civilians remained in Avdiivka despite the battle and renewed offensive.[97] On 12 October, 2023, an 85 year-old civilian was killed by indiscriminate Russian artillery bombardment of the city, two other civilians would also be injured. Ukraine has opened a pre-trial investigation into the attack if it was a war crime as per Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.[96]

    Reactions

    On October 26, 2023, the Institute for the Study of War compared the Battle of Avdiivka to the Battle of Vuhledar. During which, the ISW assessed that the losses to Russian armor sustained in Vuhledar prevented Russian command from using mechanized offenses through the spring and winter of 2023, and that the Russian losses around Avdiivka in late October surpass Russian losses around Vuhledar.[70]

    In a letter dated October 26, 2023, jailed Russian nationalist and pro-war Putin critic Igor Girkin harshly criticized what he saw as Russia's failures in Avdiivka, saying that even after the large delay before offensive operations, Russian forces were unable to complete even limited offensive operations or achieve their goals. He noted that Russian advances around Avdiivka had led to "significant losses in Russian manpower and equipment and did not lead to the further development of the Russian offensive", and said it demonstrated the inability of Russia "to achieve superiority on a very narrow sector of the front" despite many conditions favoring Russia.[98]

    See also

    References

    1. ^ a b Hird, Karolina; Evans, Angelica; Harward, Christina; Wolkov, Nicole; Clark, Mason. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 11, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
    2. ^ a b Evans, Angelica; Wolkov, Nicole; Hird, Karolina; W. Kagan, Frederick. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 24, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
    3. ^ a b c "Ukrainian troops repel 18 enemy attacks in Avdiyivka direction". ukrinform. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
    4. ^ a b "Russian War Report: Ukraine intensifies offensive attacks in Kharkiv Oblast". Atlantic Council. 9 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
    5. ^ a b c Evans, Angelica; Stepanenko, Kateryna; Harward, Christina; Mappes, Grace; W. Kagan, Frederick. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 28, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
    6. ^ a b Reevell, Patrick. "Russia waging major new offensive in eastern Ukraine". ABC. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
    7. ^ Axe, David (27 October 2023). "One Exhausted Ukrainian Brigade In Avdiivka Reportedly Blew Up 200 Russian Vehicles And Killed 800 Russian Troops". Forbes. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
    8. ^ a b c Crosbie, Jack (February 20, 2022). "Their Town Has Been on Ukraine's Front Line for 8 Years. But They Won't Give Up on It Yet". Rolling Stone. from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
    9. ^ Troianovski, Anton (February 21, 2022). "Putin Orders Troops to Separatist Regions and Recognizes Their Independence". The New York Times. from the original on February 21, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
    10. ^ a b Sahuquillo, María R. (February 24, 2022). "Ready for the worst: Life in the trenches of Ukraine's Donbas region". EL PAÍS English Edition. from the original on 2022-03-28. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
    11. ^ a b Abdurasulov, Abdujalil (12 October 2023). "Ukraine war: Russia attacks Avdiivka stronghold in eastern Ukraine". BBC. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
    12. ^ Baker, Sinéad (25 October 2023). "Russia launched its biggest attack in months. Huge tank losses show it isn't learning from its many defeats, expert says". Business Insider. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
    13. ^ a b c "Ukraine war Russia executing own retreating soldiers, US says," October 27, 2023, BBC News, retrieved October 27, 2023
    14. ^ "Ukraine's largest steel firm says shells hit Avdiivka coke plant". Reuters. March 13, 2022. from the original on 2022-03-28. Retrieved 2022-03-28 – via www.reuters.com.
    15. ^ "Reports in Russian media accuses Ukraine of sabotaging chemical plant". The Jerusalem Post. 14 March 2022. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
    16. ^ "Russia has used new Tornado-S MLRS missiles at Avdiivka". Ukrayinska Pravda. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
    17. ^ ІА «Вчасно» (2022-11-23). "28 років назавжди: активіст та митець Артем Мураховський загинув у боях під Авдіївкою — ІА "Вчасно"". vchasnoua.com (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-01-19.
    18. ^ "Russian Military Fail To Take By Storming Popasna, Novotoshkivske, Avdiivka And Mariinka – Armed Forces". 2022-04-18.
    19. ^ "Ukrainian defenders refuse to surrender". Eagle-Tribune. 17 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
    20. ^ Rousseau, Daphne (18 April 2022). "Ukrainian president: Russia's large-scale offensive in eastern Ukraine has started". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
    21. ^ Landry, Carole (April 20, 2022). "On the Front Line in the East". The New York Times.
    22. ^ Schwirtz, Michael (April 20, 2022). "A Ukrainian Town Goes Underground as Russia Assaults the East". The New York Times.
    23. ^ "Ukrainian town Avdiivka goes underground as Russia assaults the East". The Indian Express. April 21, 2022.
    24. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 19". Institute for the Study of War. 2022-04-19.
    25. ^ Свобода, Радіо (2022-03-26). "В Авдіївці війська РФ застосували фосфорні боєприпаси – голова Донецької ОВА". Радіо Свобода (in Ukrainian). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. from the original on 2022-05-14.
    26. ^ "Donetsk regional administration: Russia uses phosphorus shells in Avdiivka". Report.az. 2022-04-27. from the original on 2022-05-25.
    27. ^ "Российские войска обстреляли Авдеевку фосфорными боеприпасами – глава Донецкой ОВА" (in Russian). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2022-04-27. from the original on 2022-04-27.
    28. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 29". Institute for the Study of War. 2022-04-29. from the original on 2022-05-15.
    29. ^ "Wednesday, May 18. Russia's War On Ukraine: News And Information From Ukraine". Forbes. 2022-05-18.
    30. ^ "На Донеччині росіяни обстріляли школу забороненими фосфорними боєприпасами. Вона згоріла вщент — ОВА" (in Ukrainian). Hromadske. 2022-05-18.
    31. ^ "Russian forces have 'upper hand' in Donbas fighting, Ukrainian officials say | Ukraine | the Guardian".
    32. ^ "Pro-Russia separatists claim gains outside Ukraine's Avdiivka". June 2022.
    33. ^ "Huge Smoke Cloud Seen After Blast in Ukraine City with Chemical Plant: Report". www.ndtv.com.
    34. ^ "Third School Destroyed in Donetsk's Avdiivka (+Video) – World news". www.tasnimnews.com.
    35. ^ "Russians open fire on 13 settlements in Donetsk Region, casualties reported". www.ukrinform.net. 25 June 2022.
    36. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 4". Critical Threats. Retrieved 2022-07-08.
    37. ^ a b "Enemy shelled Avdiivka more than 10 times in past day. Casualties reported". www.ukrinform.net. 7 July 2022.
    38. ^ "The DPR said that the forces of the republic blocked the road Avdeevka – Konstantinovka". tass.ru. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
    39. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 18". Institute for the Study of War. 2022-07-18.
    40. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 29". Critical Threats. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
    41. ^ "Official: 2,500 Civilians Remain in Avdiivka. Head of the Avdiivka City Military ... – Latest Tweet by the Kyiv Independent | 🌎 LatestLY". 4 August 2022.
    42. ^ "Russia-Ukraine war: What we know on day 163 of the invasion". TheGuardian.com. 5 August 2022.
    43. ^ Polityuk, Pavel; Zinets, Natalia (5 August 2022). "Ukraine under pressure in east as NATO chief says Russia must not win". Reuters.
    44. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 8". Critical Threats. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
    45. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 25 | Institute for the Study of War". Understandingwar.org. 2022-03-17. Retrieved 2022-08-26.
    46. ^ Trofimov, Yaroslav (2022-09-27). "Ukraine's New Offensive Threatens Moscow's Control of Lands It Seeks to Annex". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
    47. ^ "Russian forces 'running and panicking' during eastern retreat". www.aljazeera.com.
    48. ^ "May the farce be with you: The assault on Vodyane village »". 20 February 2023.
    49. ^ "Ukraine says eastern town of Avdiivka could become 'second Bakhmut'". Reuters. 20 March 2023.
    50. ^ "Russians redeploy tank brigade near Avdiivka – Defense Forces". 24 April 2023.
    51. ^ "Frontline report: Russian mechanized assaults fail in the Avdiivka direction". Euromaidan Press. May 22, 2023.
    52. ^ Hicks, Tyler; Specia, Megan; Girbes, Gaëlle (2023-06-30). "Russia Destroyed Their Town. They're Not Leaving". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
    53. ^ Bailey, Riley; Evans, Angelica; Wolkov, Nicole; Hird, Karolina; Clark, Mason. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 10, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
    54. ^ TYSHCHENKO, KATERYNA. "Ukraine's Defence Forces take over part of Opytne". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
    55. ^ "War in Ukraine: Kyiv taken by surprise after Russian offensive on Avdiivka". Le Monde. 18 October 2023.
    56. ^ Havrylets, Serge (11 October 2023). "General Staff: Russia suffers heavy losses during massive assault on Avdiyivka". Euromaidan Press. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
    57. ^ "AFU knew about RF's intentions to storm Avdiyivka – General Staff". Ukrainian News Agency. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
    58. ^ Свобода, Радіо (11 October 2023). "ЗСУ були готові до наступу Росії на Авдіївку – речник Генштабу". Radio Svoboda. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
    59. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 12, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
    60. ^ NOVIKOV, ILLIA (16 October 2023). "Russia's assault on a key eastern Ukraine city reported to be weakening. The war marks 600 days". Associated Press. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
    61. ^ Harding, Luke (15 October 2023). "Russia's Avdiivka offensive is failing, says top Ukrainian officer". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
    62. ^ "Now Russia is fighting to gain territory in the east of Ukraine". The Economist. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
    63. ^ Hird, Karolina; Evans, Angelica; Mappes, Grace; Harward, Christina; Clark, Mason. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 16, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
    64. ^ a b Russian battle for Avdiivka threatens to become another “meat grinder” www.laprensalatina.com
    65. ^ Hird, Karolina; Wolkov, Nicole; Evans, Angelica; Mappes, Grace; Clark, Mason. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 19, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
    66. ^ The Russians May Have Lost 55 Tanks In One Day Trying, And Failing, To Capture Avdiivka www.forbes.com
    67. ^ a b Hird, Karolina; Evans, Angelica; Harward, Christina; Bailey, Riley; Clark, Mason. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 22, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    68. ^ Hird, Karolina; Harward, Christina; Evans, Angelica; Wolkov, Nicole; Clark, Mason. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 23, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
    69. ^ Bailey, Riley; Evans, Angelica; Wolkov, Nicole; Hird, Karolina; Kagan, Frederick W. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 25, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
    70. ^ a b Bailey, Riley; Harward, Christina; Mappes, Grace; Wolkov, Nicole; Jhaveri, Ashka; Ganzeveld, Annika; Kagan, Frederick W. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 26, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
    71. ^ a b "Russia and Ukraine intensify fight over Avdiivka, another ruined city". The Washington Post. 27 October 2023.
    72. ^ Moretti, John. "Ukraine Counteroffensive Update for Oct 31 (Europe Edition): 'Russian Command Orders Meat Assaults'". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
    73. ^ The Russian Army Reportedly Lost 34 Tanks Trying To Cut Off The Ukrainian Garrison In Avdiivka
    74. ^ Russian Troop Losses Are Likely Near an All-Time High Says Everyone But Kremlin www.kyivpost.com
    75. ^ Russia Struggles for Symbolic Victory at Avdiivka, Losses Surging to Record Levels www.kyivpost.com
    76. ^ Worst Russian Land Battle Defeat in Nine Months – Kremlin Forces Hit a Wall at Avdiivka www.kyivpost.com
    77. ^ RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, OCTOBER 15, 2023 www.understandingwar.org
    78. ^ General Staff: Russia renews attacks at Avdiivka, suffers casualties kyivindependent.com
    79. ^ RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, OCTOBER 20, 2023 www.understandingwar.org
    80. ^ Russia Steps Up Assault on Avdiivka, Ukraine ‘Kills 900 Troops in One Day’ www.kyivpost.com
    81. ^ ‘Particularly Tough’ – Russia’s Avdiivka Assault Contained, More Forces Incoming www.kyivpost.com
    82. ^ Russia taking heavy losses as it wages new offensive in Ukraine abcnews.go.com
    83. ^ Umerov: Russia has lost 4,000 soldiers in battle for Avdiivka kyivindependent.com
    84. ^ Russian death toll near Avdiivka amounts to almost 6,500 since Oct 10 www.ukrinform.net
    85. ^ "One person killed, one wounded in Russian shelling of Avdiivka community". www.ukrinform.net. 8 April 2022. from the original on 2022-04-09. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
    86. ^ "Live updates | Zelenskyy: No one can predict length of war". AP NEWS. 2022-05-13. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
    87. ^ "Nine Civilians Killed by Shelling in Ukraine's Donetsk Region – Local Governor".
    88. ^ "Explosies en stroomuitval in Lviv • VN: eerste evacués uit Azovstal in Zaporizja". nos.nl (in Dutch). 4 May 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
    89. ^ "Three civilians injured as Russians fire on Avdiivka".
    90. ^ "Donetsk Oblast: Three civilians killed by invaders in one day". 30 May 2022.
    91. ^ "Donetsk Oblast: Russian forces kill 3 civilians on 9 June". sports.yahoo.com. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
    92. ^ "Five civilians killed in Russian shelling in Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast". 6 July 2022.
    93. ^ "Russia Begins Fresh Assault in Eastern Ukraine". 6 August 2022.
    94. ^ "Russian strike on crowded market in town of Avdiivka kills 7 – Ukrainian governor". Reuters. 2022-10-12. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
    95. ^ "Росіяни в Авдіївці убили 7 мирних жителів за добу". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2022-11-07.
    96. ^ a b Havrylets, Serge (11 October 2023). "Avdiivka under fire: Russian indiscriminate shelling kills a civilian". Euromaidan Press. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
    97. ^ "Ukraine war: Avdiivka civilians cling on amid Russian assault". BBC News. 2023-10-24. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
    98. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 6, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2023-11-07.

    November 12, 2023
    battle, avdiivka, 2022, present, battle, avdiivkapart, eastern, ukraine, offensive, russian, invasion, ukrainea, destroyed, building, avdiivka, after, russian, shelling, march, 2023date21, february, 2022, present, year, months, weeks, locationavdiivka, surroun. Battle of AvdiivkaPart of the eastern Ukraine offensive of the Russian invasion of UkraineA destroyed building in Avdiivka after Russian shelling March 2023Date21 February 2022 present 1 year 8 months and 3 weeks LocationAvdiivka and surrounding villages Donetsk Oblast Ukraine48 8 N 37 45 E 48 133 N 37 750 E 48 133 37 750StatusOngoingBelligerents Russia Donetsk People s Republic until 30 September 2022 UkraineUnits involvedRussian Ground Forces Southern Military District 8th CAA 1 Central Military District 41st CAA 2 Russian Air Force 3 Russian people s militias 4 5 Ukrainian Ground Forces 59th Motorized Brigade 6 72nd Mechanized Brigade citation needed 110th Mechanized Brigade 7 Ukrainian Air Force 3 Casualties and losses50 civilians killed 35 wounded The battle of Avdiivka is an ongoing military engagement between the Russian Armed Forces and Russian controlled Donbas militias on one side and the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the other It is being fought over the city of Avdiivka located in the Donbas region 8 Fighting started when violence erupted in the Donbas again on 21 February 2022 when Russian president Vladimir Putin recognized the Donetsk People s Republic 9 Days later when Russia invaded Ukraine Avdiivka was among the first places to be attacked 10 Avdiivka has been described as a gateway to Russia occupied Donetsk and continued Ukrainian control of the city has prevented Russia from using nearby Donetsk and its resources as a communications hub 11 However Avdiivka is one of the most fortified settlements in Ukraine which has made it very difficult for Russia to break through despite heavy fighting for over a year 12 11 13 Contents 1 Background 2 Battle 2 1 Early fighting 21 February 17 April 2022 2 2 Escalation 18 April 27 July 2022 2 3 Renewed assaults and capture of Pisky 28 July 2022 March 2023 2 4 Later encirclement attempts March 2023 October 2023 2 5 Renewed Russian offensive 10 October 2023 present 3 Casualties 3 1 Military casualties 3 2 Ukrainian claims of Russian casualties 3 3 Civilian casualties 4 Reactions 5 See also 6 ReferencesBackgroundFurther information Battle of Avdiivka 2017 Avdiivka is a strategic location in the heart of the Donetsk region near Donetsk the region s principal city 13 Avdiivka has been at the front lines of the Russo Ukrainian War since 2015 8 In 2017 the battle of Avdiivka resulted in destruction in the town though Ukrainian forces still held it 8 BattleEarly fighting 21 February 17 April 2022 Fighting began on 21 February 2022 when Russian forces alongside separatist militias renewed fighting in Avdiivka 10 When Russia officially started its invasion of Ukraine Avdiivka was one of its main targets On 13 March Russian forces bombed the Avdiivka Coke Plant 14 although the Russians accused Ukraine of sabotaging it 15 The National Police of Ukraine said on 22 March that Russia used Tornado S MLRSs in bombardments of Avdiivka allegedly causing civilian casualties 16 It was reported on 25 March that Artem Murakhovskyi a commander of the Azov Regiment was killed in Avdiivka 17 Escalation 18 April 27 July 2022 nbsp Avdiivka 1st school after shelling by white phosphorus munitionsOn 18 April Russia renewed its invasion on Eastern Ukraine with both sides proclaiming the beginning of the battle of Donbas and Russia beginning to heavily shell and attack Avdiivka 18 19 20 Around 2 000 of Avdiivka s residents were forced to flee underground 21 22 23 Ukraine claimed to have repelled Russian advances in Avdiivka on 19 April 24 During the battle use of white phosphorus munitions by Russian forces was reported several times Governor of Donetsk Oblast Pavlo Kyrylenko reported a phosphorus attack on the city industrial zone on 26 March 25 on the area of the coking plant on 26 April and on the city center causing several fires the next day 26 27 On 29 April videos of the Russian army shelling Ukrainian forces in Avdiivka with a thermobaric weapon were published 28 On 18 May Avdiivka 1st school was destroyed by a Russian attack with phosphorus munitions 29 30 On May 26 Ukraine s General Staff reported that Russian forces were advancing through Avdiivka capturing many areas in the city 31 On 1 June the DPR took control of a major highway 32 On 6 June the DPR took territory near Kamianka citation needed On 12 June Russia again bombed the Avdiivka Coke Plant 33 School No 6 was destroyed on 21 June being the third school destroyed in Avdiivka 34 On 24 June Russian forces fired on Avdiivka 35 Russian forces later captured Novoselivka Druha on 4 July which is 10 km northeast of Avdiivka in an attempt to encircle the city 36 On 7 July Russian forces shelled Avdiivka for 24 hours They hit infrastructure a hospital residential buildings a bus depot and the Avdiivka Coke Plant 37 On 18 July the DPR claimed it had half surrounded Avdiivka having blocked two of the roads leading into the town The Institute for the Study of War ISW an American based non profit think tank also stated that fighting north of Avdiivka had intensified on July 18 38 However Igor Girkin said that the DPR s forces were unable to make many gains due to Ukrainian artillery 39 Renewed assaults and capture of Pisky 28 July 2022 March 2023 See also Battle of Pisky On 28 July DPR and Russian forces launched a offensive to surround Avdiivka Russian and separatist forces assaulted the towns of Krasnohorivka Pisky and other towns north of Avdiivka 40 On 31 July the Head of the Avdiivka City Military Administration Vitalii Barabash said that only 10 of the pre war population of Avdiivka remained or about 2 500 people 41 Ukraine said on 5 August that it lost the Butivka coal mine to Russia that was pushed to the outskirts of Avdiivka 42 43 On August 7 combat footage showed that Russian forces had reached the centre of Pisky 44 and they fully captured the entirety of Pisky by 24 August 45 In early September several separatist units including the Sparta Battalion and Somalia Battalion launched an attack in the wider Avdiivka area most importantly near Pisky 4 As of late September the Wall Street Journal reported that Ukrainian forces remain ed on the defensive in Avdiivka 46 On 10 October Ukraine said Russia was continuing its offensive in Avdiivka and was trying to encircle the city 47 In mid January 2023 Russian and DNR forces made an attempt to capture the village of Vodyane the action was described by a British military blogger as calamitous 48 Later encirclement attempts March 2023 October 2023 In March 2023 Ukrainian commander at Avdiivka said that Russian forces were trying to fully encircle the city 49 On 24 April the Ukrainians claimed to have repulsed a Russian attack and to have killed or wounded 200 Russian soldiers and destroyed 20 pieces of equipment 50 On 21 May the Ukrainians claimed to have defeated a mechanized Russian assault near Avdiivka During the engagement they claimed to have killed 40 Russian soldiers and to have destroyed 5 armored vehicles including at least two tanks 51 Fighting in the battle intensified during the beginning of the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive with Russian forces putting pressure on the outskirts of the town and Ukrainians digging in 52 On 10 September 2023 Avdiivka City Military Administration Head Vitaliy Barabash reported that Ukrainian forces had gained a foothold in the urban portion of the village of Opytne 3km southwest of Avdiivka and 2km north of the Donetsk International Airport claiming to secured the southern border of the city ending a threat of near encirclement 53 54 Renewed Russian offensive 10 October 2023 present nbsp A shelled residential building in Avdiivka October 2023Starting on 10 October Russian forces attacked the north west and south of Avdiivka with armoured assault groups and helicopters supported by artillery 55 Three motorized rifle brigades of the Russian 8th Combined Arms Army began a concerted offensive action around Avdiivka southwest near Sieverne and northwest near Stepove uk and Krasnohorivka All Russian units involved in the renewed offensive observed so far are members of the Donetsk people s militias the 8th CAA absorbed at the start of the invasion 1 On 11 October the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Russia initiated 18 combat engagements against the city during the last 24 hours Additionally the Ukrainian General Staff reported that the Russian army launched one missile strike and 36 air strikes while the Ukrainian air force launched 12 strikes 3 56 Andrii Kovaliov a spokesman for the Ukrainian General Staff reported separately in an interview with Radio Svoboda that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had prior knowledge of this attempted assault and were ready for it 57 58 On 12 October ISW assessed that Russian forces have not secured any major breakthrough and are unlikely to cut off Ukrainian forces due to heavy losses equivalent to battalion tactical group in armoured vehicles 59 Russian forces would maintain days long assaults only showing signs of letting up by 16 October when Barabash reported that Russian forces only attempted to storm the city 15 times compared to the 60 time average during the middle of the week 60 Andriy Serhan the commander of the 59th Motorized Brigade s drone platoon stated that the Russian assault had failed but that the Russians are regrouping for another attempt 6 61 62 Additionally Ukrainian sources reported that Russian positions were reinforced with three units based on DNR militias the 114th 15th and 21st Motor Rifle Brigades while the 30th Motor Rifle Brigade is kept in reserve 63 On 18 October the 21st Motor Rifle Brigade made up of professional soldiers launched an attack to take a huge pile of coke slack formed from the nearby Avdiivka Coke Plant and while they managed to take some forward positions they failed to take the hill The Ukrainians claimed to have destroyed 97 Russian tanks infantry fighting vehicles and armoured personnel carriers Another Ukrainian source claimed that 620 Russian soldiers and 34 units of military equipment were lost on the 18th 64 On 19 October a new concerted Russian push began with the DNR s Kluny Sabotage Assault and Reconnaissance group making gains north of Spartak DNR forces are also attempting a frontal assault of Avdiivka as opposed to encircling with the 1st Motorized Rifle Brigade attacking a fortified restaurant the Tsarska Okhota on the city s south eastern outskirts The 9th Motorized Rifle Brigade reported to have advanced a few hundred meters in the Vodyane Netaylove direction The 114th Motorized Rifle Brigade and 277th Infantry Battalion attacked near Stepove The 1454th Motorized Rifle Regiment and the 21st Motorized Rifle Brigade attacked near Kamyanka Lastly the Pyatnashka and Yugra volunteer battalions attempted to advance to the N20 highway east of Avdiivka This new assault has not secured any portion of the Urban areas of the villages surrounding Avdiivka with reported gains being limited to the rural outskirts 65 On 20 October a report by David Axe of Forbes stated that the Ukrainian claim of 175 Russian armored vehicles destroyed between the previous Thursday and Friday including 55 tanks is nearly 20 times higher than the daily average of three Russian tanks destroyed since February 2022 Meanwhile according to a report from the Euromaidan Press 65 of the nearly 1 400 Russian soldiers claimed to have been killed on 19 October occurred on just two 5 kilometer segments of the front near Avdiivka They also stated that these losses are almost 50 higher than the first day of the offensive although this attack was reportedly not as intense as the first one 66 On 22 October the ISW assessed that the Russian offensive effort that started on 19 October failed and that Russian forces were again pausing their efforts to regroup and rearm Additionally Russian milbloggers disputed among each other if there was a Ukrainian counteroffensive towards the villages of Pisky and Opytne 67 On 22 October a Ukrainian spokesperson Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun reported that Russian command is still moving more units from the front in Zaporizhia to Avdiivka namely the 6th Motor Rifle Division 67 Russian and Ukrainian sources also reported that Russia has committed elements of the Redut PMC to Avdiivka alongside the 106th Airborne 68 It was also reported on 24 October that Russia had moved elements of its 41st Combined Arms Army to reserve positions near Avdiivka 2 On 25 October a Russian milblogger claimed that Ukrainian forces had pushed Russian forces out of the village of Berdychi 10km northeast of Avdiivka 69 On 26 October Russian milbloggers attributed rain and poor weather for the decrease in intensity around Avdiivka 70 On 28 October a Russian military correspondent interviewed the commander of the Arbat Battalion reported that elements of the Wagner Group had joined the Battalion which is part of the DNR s Dikaya Division of Donbas and the Pyatnashka Brigade and that the main objective of Russian forces across the front is the capture of Avdiivka 5 Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets assessed that Russia has committed the main force of the 8th Combined Arms Army consisting of the DNR s entire 1st Army Corps as well as the Luhansk People s Republic s LPR 2nd Army Corps 20th Motorized Rifle Division and the 150th Motorized Rifle Division to the front around Avdiivka 5 The same day Russian forces advanced north of Avdiivka capturing a elevated slag dump across the railroad and Avdiivka Coke Plant 71 On 31 October Ukrainian official Oleksandr Shtupun claimed that Russia has launched a new assault on Avdiivka consisting of Storm Z penal units 72 CasualtiesMilitary casualties Russian and Ukrainian losses have been described as heavy with the battle being compared to the battle of Bakhmut that left tens of thousands of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers killed 71 Ukrainian claims of Russian casualties On 10 October geolocated footage recolected by military analyst Andrew Perpetua showed 70 Russian and 15 Ukrainian destroyed vehicles However Ukrainian sources claimed even higher losses Total Russian casualties in just one day were claimed by Ukraine high as 34 tanks and 91 other armored vehicles destroyed with human losses reportedly being 820 killed and 2 400 wounded 73 According to an analysis by the Kyiv Post the Russian 2nd Guards Combined Arms Army has been rendered combat ineffective as a result of heavy losses suffered during the offensive in this area Its worst hit unit the 114th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade lost 190 dead and 160 wounded in October from an initial strength of 1 800 to 2 000 men of which just 600 to 800 were assigned to combat duties The Ukrainians listed eleven brigades or equivalents under the 2nd CAA s command which have suffered similar losses with a total 1 500 front line soldiers dead and 2 000 seriously wounded out of a total strength including non combat troops of 20 000 to 25 000 men 74 Meanwhile according to Ragnar Gudmundsson an Iceland based analyst Russia hit a probable wartime record of more than 1 400 killed in combat in a single day on Oct 20 and averaged 900 men a day killed in combat from 10 20 October coinciding with its push toward Avdiivka a key city on the eastern front north of Donetsk city 75 On 13 October according to the Kyiv Post independent analysts estimates that the Russians suffered losses of 1 000 to 2 000 troops killed or wounded in the first 96 hours of the offensive along with 30 to 40 tanks and 90 to 100 armored personnel carriers Meanwhile Ukrainian drone operators reported losses of 100 Russian soldiers and two tanks within the first ten minutes of the fighting with no losses of their own 76 On 14 October Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun a spokesperson for the Ukrainian military claimed that the Russians had lost 3 000 soldiers and 300 pieces of equipment in the past five days since the beginning of the Russian s offensive 77 U S National Security Council spokesman John Kirby in an October 26 2023 briefing reported that fresh Russian troops were being thrown into the battle under trained under equipped and unprepared for combat in human wave attacks Retreating Russian soldiers the U S reported were apparently being shot by orders of their own commanders By the end of October the U S was estimating that losses in the fight had cost Russia a battalion s worth of equipment including at least 125 armoured vehicles 13 On 20 October according to Ukrainian sources the Russians lost 900 soldiers killed and wounded as well as 50 tanks and 100 armored vehicles damaged or destroyed In addition Ukrainian soldiers operating there also claimed that they had destroyed 200 armored vehicles over the last four days alone 78 79 80 On 22 October the fighting had become so intense that Ukrainian military historian Vasyl Pavlov compared the situation around Avdiivka to the Battles of Rzhev during World War II What s happening around Avdiivka can be compared to a series of events that took place on the Eastern Front during World War II or let s say such a well known event as the Battle of Rzhev he claimed in an interview with Espreso TV In addition Mykhailo Podolyak an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential administration told TV Rain that Russia had lost between 5 000 and 6 000 troops in just over a week of their offensive in Avdiivka as well as 400 armored vehicles Indeed according to the Ukrainian military by 23 October the Russians had been losing as many as 1 000 men killed in action each day during its attempt to take the town as well as tens of tanks and armored vehicles The recent Russian attacks on Avdiivka have contributed to a 90 increase in Russian casualties recorded by the Ukrainian MoD Ministry of Defense according to British military intelligence 64 81 82 On 28 October Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov claimed that Ukrainian troops had killed 4 000 Russian soldiers in the battle so far which roughly lines up with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy s claim the previous day that Russia had lost at least a brigade between 2 000 and 8 000 personnel near Avdiivka 83 On 29 October Ukrainian spokesman Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun claimed that they had killed 6 500 Russian soldiers and destroyed 100 tanks including T 90s and 250 armored vehicles since 10 October If we talk about losses in such a short period on a relatively small part of the front line Avdiivka is already the largest defeat on the part of the Russians he also stated 84 Civilian casualties nbsp Victims of the shelling of the market on 12 October 202253 civilians have been killed and wounded in the city since the start of the invasion On 8 April one person was killed and another injured by Russian shelling 85 On 13 April one civilian was killed and 12 were wounded in Avdiivka 86 On 2 May three civilians were killed due to Russian bombardment 87 On 3 May 2022 according to a news article on Dutch outlet Nederlandse Omroep Stichting at least 10 people died and 15 more were injured during an attack on a coking plant Allegedly the attack took place after the workers had finished work and were waiting for the bus 88 On 23 May Russian shelling and artillery bombarded Avdiivka all night long Three civilians were injured and 20 houses as well as a kindergarten were damaged severely 89 On 30 May one civilian was killed during a street fight in Avdiivka 90 2 civilians were killed on June 12 91 On 5 July 2 civilians were killed in Avdiivka 92 One civilian was killed and two wounded on 7 July 37 One civilian was killed on 6 August 93 On 12 October 7 civilians were killed and 12 more were injured after a Russian shelling of the city market 94 95 On 12 October 2023 an 85 year old civilian was killed by indiscriminate Russian artillery bombardment of the city two other civilians would also be injured Ukraine has opened a pre trial investigation into the attack if it was a war crime as per Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine 96 By October 2023 1 000 civilians remained in Avdiivka despite the battle and renewed offensive 97 On 12 October 2023 an 85 year old civilian was killed by indiscriminate Russian artillery bombardment of the city two other civilians would also be injured Ukraine has opened a pre trial investigation into the attack if it was a war crime as per Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine 96 ReactionsOn October 26 2023 the Institute for the Study of War compared the Battle of Avdiivka to the Battle of Vuhledar During which the ISW assessed that the losses to Russian armor sustained in Vuhledar prevented Russian command from using mechanized offenses through the spring and winter of 2023 and that the Russian losses around Avdiivka in late October surpass Russian losses around Vuhledar 70 In a letter dated October 26 2023 jailed Russian nationalist and pro war Putin critic Igor Girkin harshly criticized what he saw as Russia s failures in Avdiivka saying that even after the large delay before offensive operations Russian forces were unable to complete even limited offensive operations or achieve their goals He noted that Russian advances around Avdiivka had led to significant losses in Russian manpower and equipment and did not lead to the further development of the Russian offensive and said it demonstrated the inability of Russia to achieve superiority on a very narrow sector of the front despite many conditions favoring Russia 98 See alsoList of military engagements during the Russian invasion of Ukraine Outline of the Russo Ukrainian WarReferences a b Hird Karolina Evans Angelica Harward Christina Wolkov Nicole Clark Mason Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment October 11 2023 Institute for the Study of War Retrieved 12 October 2023 a b Evans Angelica Wolkov Nicole Hird Karolina W Kagan Frederick Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment October 24 2023 Institute for the Study of War Retrieved 29 October 2023 a b c Ukrainian troops repel 18 enemy attacks in Avdiyivka direction ukrinform 11 October 2023 Retrieved 12 October 2023 a b Russian War Report Ukraine intensifies offensive attacks in Kharkiv Oblast Atlantic Council 9 September 2022 Retrieved 30 September 2022 a b c Evans Angelica Stepanenko Kateryna Harward Christina Mappes Grace W Kagan Frederick Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment October 28 2023 Institute for the Study of War Retrieved 29 October 2023 a b Reevell Patrick Russia waging major new offensive in eastern Ukraine ABC Retrieved 16 October 2023 Axe David 27 October 2023 One Exhausted Ukrainian Brigade In Avdiivka Reportedly Blew Up 200 Russian Vehicles And Killed 800 Russian Troops Forbes Retrieved 27 October 2023 a b c Crosbie Jack February 20 2022 Their Town Has Been on Ukraine s Front Line for 8 Years But They Won t Give Up on It Yet Rolling Stone Archived from the original on March 28 2022 Retrieved March 28 2022 Troianovski Anton February 21 2022 Putin Orders Troops to Separatist Regions and Recognizes Their Independence The New York Times Archived from the original on February 21 2022 Retrieved March 28 2022 a b Sahuquillo Maria R February 24 2022 Ready for the worst Life in the trenches of Ukraine s Donbas region EL PAIS English Edition Archived from the original on 2022 03 28 Retrieved 2022 03 28 a b Abdurasulov Abdujalil 12 October 2023 Ukraine war Russia attacks Avdiivka stronghold in eastern Ukraine BBC Retrieved 27 October 2023 Baker Sinead 25 October 2023 Russia launched its biggest attack in months Huge tank losses show it isn t learning from its many defeats expert says Business Insider Retrieved 27 October 2023 a b c Ukraine war Russia executing own retreating soldiers US says October 27 2023 BBC News retrieved October 27 2023 Ukraine s largest steel firm says shells hit Avdiivka coke plant Reuters March 13 2022 Archived from the original on 2022 03 28 Retrieved 2022 03 28 via www reuters com Reports in Russian media accuses Ukraine of sabotaging chemical plant The Jerusalem Post 14 March 2022 Retrieved 2023 07 05 Russia has used new Tornado S MLRS missiles at Avdiivka Ukrayinska Pravda Retrieved 2023 07 05 IA Vchasno 2022 11 23 28 rokiv nazavzhdi aktivist ta mitec Artem Murahovskij zaginuv u boyah pid Avdiyivkoyu IA Vchasno vchasnoua com in Ukrainian Retrieved 2023 01 19 Russian Military Fail To Take By Storming Popasna Novotoshkivske Avdiivka And Mariinka Armed Forces 2022 04 18 Ukrainian defenders refuse to surrender Eagle Tribune 17 April 2022 Retrieved 2022 04 20 Rousseau Daphne 18 April 2022 Ukrainian president Russia s large scale offensive in eastern Ukraine has started www timesofisrael com Retrieved 2022 04 20 Landry Carole April 20 2022 On the Front Line in the East The New York Times Schwirtz Michael April 20 2022 A Ukrainian Town Goes Underground as Russia Assaults the East The New York Times Ukrainian town Avdiivka goes underground as Russia assaults the East The Indian Express April 21 2022 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment April 19 Institute for the Study of War 2022 04 19 Svoboda Radio 2022 03 26 V Avdiyivci vijska RF zastosuvali fosforni boyepripasi golova Doneckoyi OVA Radio Svoboda in Ukrainian Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty Archived from the original on 2022 05 14 Donetsk regional administration Russia uses phosphorus shells in Avdiivka Report az 2022 04 27 Archived from the original on 2022 05 25 Rossijskie vojska obstrelyali Avdeevku fosfornymi boepripasami glava Doneckoj OVA in Russian Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty 2022 04 27 Archived from the original on 2022 04 27 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment April 29 Institute for the Study of War 2022 04 29 Archived from the original on 2022 05 15 Wednesday May 18 Russia s War On Ukraine News And Information From Ukraine Forbes 2022 05 18 Na Donechchini rosiyani obstrilyali shkolu zaboronenimi fosfornimi boyepripasami Vona zgorila vshent OVA in Ukrainian Hromadske 2022 05 18 Russian forces have upper hand in Donbas fighting Ukrainian officials say Ukraine the Guardian Pro Russia separatists claim gains outside Ukraine s Avdiivka June 2022 Huge Smoke Cloud Seen After Blast in Ukraine City with Chemical Plant Report www ndtv com Third School Destroyed in Donetsk s Avdiivka Video World news www tasnimnews com Russians open fire on 13 settlements in Donetsk Region casualties reported www ukrinform net 25 June 2022 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment July 4 Critical Threats Retrieved 2022 07 08 a b Enemy shelled Avdiivka more than 10 times in past day Casualties reported www ukrinform net 7 July 2022 The DPR said that the forces of the republic blocked the road Avdeevka Konstantinovka tass ru Retrieved 2022 07 18 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment July 18 Institute for the Study of War 2022 07 18 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment July 29 Critical Threats Retrieved 2022 07 30 Official 2 500 Civilians Remain in Avdiivka Head of the Avdiivka City Military Latest Tweet by the Kyiv Independent LatestLY 4 August 2022 Russia Ukraine war What we know on day 163 of the invasion TheGuardian com 5 August 2022 Polityuk Pavel Zinets Natalia 5 August 2022 Ukraine under pressure in east as NATO chief says Russia must not win Reuters Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment August 8 Critical Threats Retrieved 2022 08 09 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment August 25 Institute for the Study of War Understandingwar org 2022 03 17 Retrieved 2022 08 26 Trofimov Yaroslav 2022 09 27 Ukraine s New Offensive Threatens Moscow s Control of Lands It Seeks to Annex The Wall Street Journal ISSN 0099 9660 Retrieved 2022 09 27 Russian forces running and panicking during eastern retreat www aljazeera com May the farce be with you The assault on Vodyane village 20 February 2023 Ukraine says eastern town of Avdiivka could become second Bakhmut Reuters 20 March 2023 Russians redeploy tank brigade near Avdiivka Defense Forces 24 April 2023 Frontline report Russian mechanized assaults fail in the Avdiivka direction Euromaidan Press May 22 2023 Hicks Tyler Specia Megan Girbes Gaelle 2023 06 30 Russia Destroyed Their Town They re Not Leaving The New York Times Retrieved 2023 08 05 Bailey Riley Evans Angelica Wolkov Nicole Hird Karolina Clark Mason Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment September 10 2023 Institute for the Study of War Retrieved 11 September 2023 TYSHCHENKO KATERYNA Ukraine s Defence Forces take over part of Opytne Ukrainska Pravda Retrieved 11 September 2023 War in Ukraine Kyiv taken by surprise after Russian offensive on Avdiivka Le Monde 18 October 2023 Havrylets Serge 11 October 2023 General Staff Russia suffers heavy losses during massive assault on Avdiyivka Euromaidan Press Retrieved 12 October 2023 AFU knew about RF s intentions to storm Avdiyivka General Staff Ukrainian News Agency Retrieved 12 October 2023 Svoboda Radio 11 October 2023 ZSU buli gotovi do nastupu Rosiyi na Avdiyivku rechnik Genshtabu Radio Svoboda Retrieved 12 October 2023 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment October 12 2023 Institute for the Study of War Retrieved 2023 10 14 NOVIKOV ILLIA 16 October 2023 Russia s assault on a key eastern Ukraine city reported to be weakening The war marks 600 days Associated Press Retrieved 16 October 2023 Harding Luke 15 October 2023 Russia s Avdiivka offensive is failing says top Ukrainian officer The Guardian Retrieved 16 October 2023 Now Russia is fighting to gain territory in the east of Ukraine The Economist Retrieved 16 October 2023 Hird Karolina Evans Angelica Mappes Grace Harward Christina Clark Mason Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment October 16 2023 Institute for the Study of War Retrieved 17 October 2023 a b Russian battle for Avdiivka threatens to become another meat grinder www laprensalatina com Hird Karolina Wolkov Nicole Evans Angelica Mappes Grace Clark Mason Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment October 19 2023 Institute for the Study of War Retrieved 20 October 2023 The Russians May Have Lost 55 Tanks In One Day Trying And Failing To Capture Avdiivka www forbes com a b Hird Karolina Evans Angelica Harward Christina Bailey Riley Clark Mason Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment October 22 2023 Institute for the Study of War Retrieved 23 October 2023 Hird Karolina Harward Christina Evans Angelica Wolkov Nicole Clark Mason Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment October 23 2023 Institute for the Study of War Retrieved 29 October 2023 Bailey Riley Evans Angelica Wolkov Nicole Hird Karolina Kagan Frederick W Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment October 25 2023 Institute for the Study of War Retrieved 29 October 2023 a b Bailey Riley Harward Christina Mappes Grace Wolkov Nicole Jhaveri Ashka Ganzeveld Annika Kagan Frederick W Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment October 26 2023 Institute for the Study of War Retrieved 29 October 2023 a b Russia and Ukraine intensify fight over Avdiivka another ruined city The Washington Post 27 October 2023 Moretti John Ukraine Counteroffensive Update for Oct 31 Europe Edition Russian Command Orders Meat Assaults Kyiv Post Retrieved 31 October 2023 The Russian Army Reportedly Lost 34 Tanks Trying To Cut Off The Ukrainian Garrison In Avdiivka Russian Troop Losses Are Likely Near an All Time High Says Everyone But Kremlin www kyivpost com Russia Struggles for Symbolic Victory at Avdiivka Losses Surging to Record Levels www kyivpost com Worst Russian Land Battle Defeat in Nine Months Kremlin Forces Hit a Wall at Avdiivka www kyivpost com RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT OCTOBER 15 2023 www understandingwar org General Staff Russia renews attacks at Avdiivka suffers casualties kyivindependent com RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT OCTOBER 20 2023 www understandingwar org Russia Steps Up Assault on Avdiivka Ukraine Kills 900 Troops in One Day www kyivpost com Particularly Tough Russia s Avdiivka Assault Contained More Forces Incoming www kyivpost com Russia taking heavy losses as it wages new offensive in Ukraine abcnews go com Umerov Russia has lost 4 000 soldiers in battle for Avdiivka kyivindependent com Russian death toll near Avdiivka amounts to almost 6 500 since Oct 10 www ukrinform net One person killed one wounded in Russian shelling of Avdiivka community www ukrinform net 8 April 2022 Archived from the original on 2022 04 09 Retrieved 2022 04 13 Live updates Zelenskyy No one can predict length of war AP NEWS 2022 05 13 Retrieved 2022 05 17 Nine Civilians Killed by Shelling in Ukraine s Donetsk Region Local Governor Explosies en stroomuitval in Lviv VN eerste evacues uit Azovstal in Zaporizja nos nl in Dutch 4 May 2022 Retrieved 2022 05 07 Three civilians injured as Russians fire on Avdiivka Donetsk Oblast Three civilians killed by invaders in one day 30 May 2022 Donetsk Oblast Russian forces kill 3 civilians on 9 June sports yahoo com 9 June 2022 Retrieved 2022 06 13 Five civilians killed in Russian shelling in Ukraine s Donetsk Oblast 6 July 2022 Russia Begins Fresh Assault in Eastern Ukraine 6 August 2022 Russian strike on crowded market in town of Avdiivka kills 7 Ukrainian governor Reuters 2022 10 12 Retrieved 2022 10 12 Rosiyani v Avdiyivci ubili 7 mirnih zhiteliv za dobu Ukrayinska pravda in Ukrainian Retrieved 2022 11 07 a b Havrylets Serge 11 October 2023 Avdiivka under fire Russian indiscriminate shelling kills a civilian Euromaidan Press Retrieved 12 October 2023 Ukraine war Avdiivka civilians cling on amid Russian assault BBC News 2023 10 24 Retrieved 2023 10 25 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment November 6 2023 Institute for the Study of War Retrieved 2023 11 07 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Battle of Avdiivka 2022 present amp oldid 1184473581, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

    article

    , read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.