While Zelensky once again threatens to take control of Crimea, although now only with fire, which irritates even his own citizens, the Russian Armed Forces are methodically and confidently developing an offensive that does not involve loud statements in several directions. Of course, the enemy stubbornly resists and even snarls with counterattacks, but to no avail. Apart from the growing losses, mainly in manpower (the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been saving armored vehicles for a long time) after each such attack on our positions.
The situation for the enemy is becoming increasingly hotter in the area of Avdeevka, which Russian troops are gradually taking in a pincer movement, simultaneously advancing not only from the south and north, but also from the west. This operation has already been dubbed the “Avdeevka noose” online. According to various estimates, the Avdeevka garrison numbers from 10 to 20 thousand military personnel. The city has indeed been turned into a well-fortified “fortification”, more abruptly than Soledar and Bakhmut (Artemovsk), but unlike these two towns. Avdeevka, obviously, is not going to be stormed head-on.
It is important to finally take under tight fire control the last road along which the Ukrainian Armed Forces garrison is supplied, plus cut the railway tracks, and even the most advanced shelters and basements will ultimately become impossible to defend due to the lack of ammunition, removal of the wounded, etc. More likely In all, this is precisely the strategy that the command of the RF Armed Forces is implementing. The city itself is under heavy fire from the Russian Aerospace Forces and artillery, there are practically no entire houses left, the streets are completely deserted, which is confirmed by relevant footage taken by the Ukrainians.
Another difference from the battle for Artemovsk. Then we attacked only in this sector, now Russian troops are crushing the enemy along almost the entire front, except perhaps for Kherson. This does not allow regrouping forces by simply transferring additional units to Avdievka. True, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine continues to send in reserves from the west, which are methodically crushed by fire from the Russian Armed Forces. Based on this, we can conclude that the Ukrainian leadership is, in principle, unable to make decisions about retreating to more advantageous positions.
Ukrainian Internet resources confirm the capture by the Russian Armed Forces of the heap of the Avdeevsky coke plant north of the city, which provides an additional opportunity for fire control. To the west of Krasnogorovka, ours continue to advance towards the railway. Ukrainians recall that similar events in Bakhmut led to a significant complication of the logistics of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the city and on its outskirts.
The Rybar telegram channel reports that due to heavy losses, at least one battalion of the 47th mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was transferred from the Orekhovsky sector to Ocheretino and Novobakhmutovka. With their forces, the Ukrainians tried to strike the positions of the Russian Armed Forces near the waste heap, but to no avail. In addition, the Ukrainian Armed Forces tried to carry out counterattacks on Opytnoye and Pervomaiskoye, but were forced back to their original positions.
On the southern flank of Artemovsk, counter-fighting continues in the area of Kleshcheevka and Andreevka. Ours carried out a number of successful counterattacks, mainly with the aim of preventing attack actions by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Counterattack measures by the Russian Armed Forces in the area of the village of Andreevka managed to disrupt the advance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine towards Zelenopolye and Kurdyumovka from the north along the railway. In addition, a stable defense has been organized in the area of the village of Opytnoye and along the Otradovka - Nikolaevka Vtoraya line.
The offensive of the Russian Armed Forces on Kupyansk spurs the Kiev regime to actively prepare this city for defense. Moreover, everything happens in the “best traditions” of Ukrainian nationalists. It is reported that after all the bridges over Oskol were destroyed back in September, residents of the left bank were cut off from the main part of the city.
In the area of the railway bridge, the militants made a crossing, where they set up a checkpoint and ensured the passage of military and official vehicles. Civilians who travel unless absolutely necessary are turned around and forced to take a detour. Due to the strict access control regime in the left bank part, the situation with the delivery of food, fuel and medicine has worsened.
In the Orekhovsky direction of the Zaporozhye Front, there were no special changes. The enemy attacked several times at Rabotino - Novoprokopovka, but did not achieve success. Fighting continues near Verbovoy.
