Ukraine sent reinforcements, fighting like `hell` at Avdiivka fortress 0
(Dan Tri) – Kiev is sending reinforcements to the city of Avdiivka, while Ukrainian commanders warn of the deteriorating battlefield situation around the Eastern fortress.
Ukrainian soldiers from the 59th Independent Mechanized Infantry Brigade fire artillery toward Russian troops near Avdiivka (Photo: Reuters).
`Avdiivka is like hell. The 3rd Independent Assault Brigade confirmed that this force has been urgently redeployed to reinforce the Ukrainian army in the Avdiivka area. The war situation in the city at the time of the brigade
`Separate battalions of the 3rd Brigade conducted a raid on the Avdiivka areas held by the enemy. The enemy force in the area consists of about 7 brigades. The situation in Avdiivka remains precarious and unstable.
Russian forces have been waging a fierce offensive against the city of Avdiivka over the past several months.
Ukraine went all out to defend Avdiivka and sought to inflict as much damage as possible on the advancing Russian units.
`(Ukraine’s) main goal is to force Russia to pay as much as possible to control this area. But at the same time, our soldiers also suffered very heavy casualties,` said Ivan Stupak, a former officer.
Andrii Kramarov, a military expert and former officer in the Ukrainian armed forces, said that Kiev’s strategy in Avdiivka was to subject Russia to much higher losses than Ukraine.
`If the losses on both sides are equal, that will be a situation where we have to leave Avdiivka,` Mr. Kramarov said.
This week, several reports said Ukraine had sent reinforcements to the strategic position of Avdiivka, which has extensive visibility and firepower across the surrounding area.
`We don’t have the capacity to hold the city, but reinforcements are coming and we count on friendly units,` said Ivan Sekach, spokesman for the 110th Brigade, a unit that fought in Avdiivka
Mr Stupak said the units that have been fighting in Avdiivka for nearly two years are `exhausted` and they `need to rest`. The new units, believed to include the 3rd Assault Brigade, could help relieve
Avdiivka is considered a strategic city, the gateway to the Donetsk region in Eastern Ukraine.
Efforts to attack from both sides
Avdiivka location (Photo: FT).
The US-based Institute for the Study of War earlier this week noted reports by Russian military bloggers showing progress by Moscow forces in the northern, southern and central Avdiivka areas during the fighting.
`We could lose the city this month,` Mr. Stupak said, saying that a withdrawal of Ukrainian troops like what happened in Bakhmut and Marinka may be necessary.
`The situation is very critical because they (Russia) have almost surrounded our forces. The situation is very bad and very similar to Bakhmut,` Mr. Stupak added, referring to the city where the battles took place.
`Due to the lack of artillery, unfortunately we could not hold the position,` Mr. Kramarov said, noting that first-person view (FPV) drones are very important for defense forces.
`In the current military context, you cannot go into battle without a powerful artillery shield, you cannot hold positions, especially when Russian forces are in Avdiivka,` Mr. Kramarov declared.
According to Mr. Kramarov, Russia’s recent advances have opened `two holes` in Ukraine’s defense line in the northeast and southeast of the city of Avdiivka.
`It is true that the situation is very harsh, but we are defending. We have not lost Avdiivka, we have not left Avdiivka for now. The moment we need to leave the city will be the moment we cannot hold out
New Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, who was appointed last week, also expressed concern about the situation in Avdiivka.
On February 14, Mr. Syrskyi visited Avdiivka and the Kupiansk frontline area with Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
`The combat environment is extremely complex and stressful. The Russian army continues to increase its efforts and has an advantage in numbers. They do not count on losses and continue to use tactics of overwhelming force,` he said.
After inspecting the front line, General Syrskyi said `a number of important decisions have been made to strengthen the combat capabilities of military units and prevent enemy actions.`
Avdiivka was an intense political battle for both sides.
`They have to prove before election day that the Russian army is very powerful,` Mr. Stupak said.
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky needs to prove to the Ukrainian people and Western partners that Kiev can still fight and inflict heavy losses on Russia.
The new Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi is also credited with the successful defense of the capital Kiev in the early months of the war and the lightning offensive to regain large areas of Kharkov in the fall of 2022.
`He is very experienced. In such a long war, changing commanders is very important. We have very good new generals of the new generation,` Mr. Kramarov said.
President Zelensky and his new high command appear to be preparing for another defense of Avdiivka.
