According to the Ukrainian army, it prevented the Russian advance towards a strategically important city in the Donetsk region. After several days of attacks, Russian troops were driven back near Avdiivka, the head of the military administration there said. There were further attacks in southern and northeast Ukraine.
Avdiivka is located north of the city of Donetsk on the way to the towns of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, both of which are currently still controlled by Ukraine. Before the war, about 32,500 people lived in the city. Moscow recently stated that it already had the road between Avdiivka and the neighboring town of Kostyantynivka (towards Kramatorsk) under control. According to the head of the military administration there, Vitaly Barabash, this is incorrect.
Southern part and Luhansk under Russian control
Unlike the city, which has been under attack for several days now, the Russian army and separatists control the southern part of the Donetsk region and the adjacent Luhansk region, which also includes the city of Lysychansk. In Donetsk, Russian attacks have only recently intensified. According to the General Staff of Ukraine, attempts towards Bakhmut and in front of the city of Donetsk were repulsed. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had called on citizens to be vigilant and not to ignore air-raid sirens. Air raid sirens went out across the country on Friday night.
There were several attacks in the south of the country: at least four people were injured in a rocket attack on the Black Sea port of Odessa. In addition, Ukrainian authorities reported new attacks in Mykolaiv on Tuesday. Cluster munitions were said to have been used there and at least two people were injured.
More than 150 shells were fired at the Sumy region in the northeast, according to the head of the regional military administration, Dmytro Schywytzki. “The Russians also opened fire with machine guns and grenade launchers.” Information about the course of the battle cannot be independently verified.
Slow progress?
British intelligence assumes that Russian troops are probably advancing very slowly. Further gains in territory would not help in this regard. “In addition to serious understaffing, Russian planners are faced with the dilemma of whether to move reserves to the Donbass or defend against Ukrainian counterattacks in the southwestern Kherson sector,” the Defense Ministry in London said.
These problems became more acute and the Russian army had struggled since the beginning of the war to maintain the offensive strength of its troops. The Kremlin, on the other hand, remains confident of victory. “There will be peace – on our terms,” Russian Security Council deputy chairman Dmitry Medvedev wrote on Telegram.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
