As the war in Ukraine will soon enter its third year, Sasha Vakulina takes stock of the situation on the ground, particularly in Avdiivka where the fighting is raging.
Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine remains a primary target of Russian operations, the British Ministry of Defense said in its latest intelligence update, noting that over the past two weeks Russian forces have likely deployed additional forces to the Avdiivka sector, increasing pressure on Ukrainian positions around the town.
Several Russian bloggers claimed that Russian forces had advanced south along the railway line northwest of Avdiivka.
These same bloggers claim that Russian forces now control between 18 and 20% of Avdiivka.
Russia also continues to attack in the city’s southeastern limits, with street-to-street urban fighting. Ukraine continues to carry out counterattacks to ensure the main supply route is not cut.
The British Ministry of Defense also said that over the past four weeks “around 600 guided munitions have been launched against Ukrainian positions in Avdiivka from tactical aircraft.”
Russian sorties increased the number of guided airstrikes from 30 to 50 per day on February 5, an increase of more than 66% over the past two weeks. However, Russian fighters are forced to launch munitions from a distance, which degrades their accuracy due to the continued threat from Ukrainian air defense.
Russia is almost certain to continue its offensive pressure in this area over the coming weeks, leveraging its tactical airpower extensively to support its efforts.
