Avdiivka Map Shows Ukraine Defenses 'in Crisis' after Russian Breach

A new map shows Russia has gained territory northwest of the captured former Ukrainian stronghold of Avdiivka, as Moscow presses on with persistent attacks in the country's eastern Donetsk region, described by one Ukrainian military observer as a "crisis."

Geolocated footage from Tuesday shows that Russia has "marginally advanced" on the edge of the village of Sokil, northwest of Avdiivka, according to the U.S.-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, much of the fiercest fighting has been concentrated along the eastern front lines, including in Donetsk. Russia seized control of the Donetsk city of Bakhmut in May 2023, and then claimed another city in the region, the strategic settlement of Avdiivka, in February this year after months of bitter clashes. Moscow has been making incremental gains in the time since.

Despite launching a fresh offensive on Ukraine from the border Belgorod region into the northeastern Ukrainian Kharkiv region in May, Kyiv has reported often intensified attacks in the east, particularly close to the Donetsk city of Pokrovsk.

The city is one of a handful that have been described as "fortress cities," key to maintaining Ukraine's defense of the Donetsk region.

Russian forces likely managed to take control of Novooleksandriivka, a village east of Pokrovsk, and pushed on toward Lozuvatske—to the west of Novooleksandriivka—in the past few days, Ukrainian military observer, Konstantin Mashovets, said on Tuesday. Novooleksandriivka is directly north of Sokil.

"We have a full-scale tactical crisis" east of Pokrovsk, Mashovets wrote in a post to messaging app Telegram. Ukrainian forces will be unlikely to stem further Russian advances if Moscow brings more brigades into the fight, he wrote.

Newsweek has reached out to the Ukrainian military for comment via email.

Late local time on Tuesday, Ukraine's armed forces said Russia had attacked Ukrainian positions east of Pokrovsk 24 times over the course of the day, "with the greatest activity in the Novooleksandriivka area." The situation was "tense" around Novooleksandriivka and Sokil, Kyiv's General Staff said.

Russian troops sustained 240 casualties near Pokrovsk over the day, Ukraine said, including 97 troops killed.

Ukraine's army chief, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, said in a statement posted to social media early on Wednesday that Russia was carrying out "active offensive actions of different intensity virtually throughout the front," but the main pushes were felt west of Pokrovsk and toward Kurakhove.

The city of Kurakhove lies southeast of Pokrovsk and immediately west of the Russian-controlled regional capital, Donetsk City.

"Tough fighting in these directions has been going on for several months," Syrskyi said.

Russia's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that its forces had clashed with Ukrainian troops west of Avdiivka, including around the village of Umanske. The settlement is south of Novooleksandriivka.

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