The Russian invading troops are attacking the town of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region disregarding their enormous losses in the so-called “meat assaults” on the Ukrainian positions.
According to the Ukrainian military, Russian invading forces are suffering the highest losses in two years since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, due to the dictator Putin’s obsession to conquer this town in Donbass before his election in mid-March.
For weeks and months the Kremlin has been employing large forces in attempts to push Ukrainian soldiers back from Avdiivka. Despite heavy losses, Moscow sent more and more troops to the hottest spot of the Russia-Ukraine war, including freshly recruited military.
4000 eliminated Russian troops near Avdiivka – Ukrainian commander
Maxim Zhorin, deputy commander of the Third Separate Assault Brigade, a Ukrainian Army major, wrote on Telegram that the Russians are not counting their casualties in Avdiivka.
“In reality, it’s difficult to say just how many Russians are dying here. Yesterday, we eliminated over 80 invaders by simply by rolling in one position. In total, we have eliminated over 4,000 Russian military personnel. I believe that such losses as those in the fighting for Avdiivka, have never occurred anywhere else,” stated an AFU officer.
Maxim Zhorin said that Russia wiped out at least six brigades of its army, one brigade of the “DPR,” GRU special forces, and other assault groups in Avdiivka. According to him, the Russians have lost approximately 4,000 men near Avdiivka in recent weeks.
Zhorin also stated that in some areas in the Avdiivka town six Ukrainian soldiers are defending positions, which are being besieged by around 100 Russians.
Russia lost 400 tanks and armored vehicles in Avdiivka – British intelligence
According to British intelligence estimates, the Russian Federation lost at least 400 pieces of equipment and most likely thousands of people in its attempt to conquer Avdiivka. This is indicated in the UK Ministry of Defence’s intelligence review, which was published on X.
Thus, the report says that Russian troops continue to focus on Avdiivka. According to British intelligence, in the attempt to conquer the town, Russia lost at least 400 tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and other equipment, as well as thousands of soldiers.
“Russia has been making a concerted effort to capture the town since October 2023, and it has made gradual, steady progress in cutting off the town, with the Ukrainian Armed Forces reinforcing their position in response,” the report says.
Russian soldiers shot a video of the battlefield with numerous dead comrades
In a video published on social networks, a Russian soldier, who was deployed in so-called “meat assaults” on Avdiivka, demonstrated the reality on the battlefield.
It turned out that while Russian propaganda yells “successes of the special military operation,” the Russian troops are stepping over the bodies of their dead comrades and moaning about Ukraine’s continuous shelling.
A video footage of two Russians purportedly going to bring some water in the Avdiivka neighborhood was published on Telegram. On their route, they come across numerous bodies of their killed comrades and show destroyed Russian military equipment.
Losses of equipment in the Avdiivka fighting: Russians lose 13:1
OSINT analysts published data on Russian and Ukrainian losses in the battle for Avdiivka. In the fierce fighting Russian invaders lost 655 pieces of equipment while Ukrainians lost only 50. In armored assaults Russia lost 222 tanks while Ukraine lost just 20. In total, Russian lost 13 times more military equipment in the Avdiivka sector, the report claims.
Source: WarInfographics
Russians storm Avdiivka to capture the town before Putin’s election – Ukrainian official
Ukrainian forces are regrouping in Avdiivka and retreating to other positions, and the Russian invaders are pushing hard. Anna Malyar, Ukraine’s former Deputy Defense Minister, explained why Avdiivka is so crucial to the Russian authorities. She claimed two main reasons why this completely destroyed town is so essential to Russian president Putin and his entourage.
The first reason Malyar cited was political: before Putin’s so-called elections, they would presumably have a motive to increase the general mood in the country and rally the Russian military.
According to a former Defense Ministry official, the second reason is that Avdiivka has proven to be a barrier for the Russian troops, making it impossible to battle there. “They don’t fight well in cities. That’s why they throw bombs. After Avdiivka, there is the steppe. It will be harder for us to defend, and easier for them to move deeper”, she wrote.
Ukrainian forces partly withdrew from Avdiivka and regrouped
Previously, the Ukrainian Armed Forces command had decided to withdraw military from the Zenit position on the southeastern outskirts of Avdiivka, as it was almost impossible to hold it.
Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyy, Commander of the Tavriya Task Force, emphasized that the Ukrainian Defense Forces would hold this position for as long as it was possible to effectively deter and destroy the enemy; the Russians lost hundreds of soldiers and dozens of pieces of equipment in daily assaults.
Without sufficient ammunition, Ukraine has struggled to retain Avdiivka. After artillery fire more than half of the positions surrounding the town have been covered in fire screens. If there are no shells, there will be no screens, and the Russians will start new assaults.
The town of Avdiivka has been ruined, and the AFU’s withdrawal is logical. Whereas Ukraine’s Western partners continue to be sluggish in providing the much-needed shells to stop Putin’s invasion troops.
Photo credit: Anton Shevelyov, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry
