Russia Achieves Significant Progress, Marking Largest Gain Since Capturing Bakhmut in May, Amid Impending Third Year of Conflict with Ukraine.
Russia has asserted its complete control over the Ukrainian town of Avdiivka following the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces, although acknowledging that some Ukrainian troops remain entrenched within a sprawling Soviet-era coke plant after enduring one of the most intense battles of the ongoing conflict.
The fall of Avdiivka stands as Russia’s most significant territorial gain since the capture of the city of Bakhmut in May 2023. This development comes almost two years to the day since President Vladimir Putin precipitated a full-scale war by ordering the invasion of Ukraine.
On Sunday, Russia’s Ministry of Defence reported that its troops had made significant progress, advancing 8.6 kilometers (5.3 miles) in the segment of the 1,000-kilometer (621-mile) front line. Following a deadly urban battle that rendered the town nearly deserted and in ruins, Russian forces continue to push forward.
Russian President Vladimir Putin lauded the capture of Avdiivka as a crucial triumph and extended his congratulations to the Russian troops. “The head of state congratulated Russian soldiers on this success, an important victory,” stated the Kremlin in a statement posted on its website.
Ukraine asserted that it had withdrawn its soldiers from Avdiivka to prevent them from being encircled completely after enduring months of intense combat. Meanwhile, Moscow has been actively seeking to wear down Ukrainian forces, coinciding with Kyiv’s contemplation of a significant new mobilization effort. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s appointment of a new commander to oversee the ongoing conflict signals a strategic shift in Ukrainian military leadership.
However, Russia countered Ukraine’s claims, stating that some Ukrainian forces remained entrenched within the Soviet-era coke plant in Avdiivka. This location, once one of Europe’s largest, holds strategic importance for Russia in its pursuit of securing full control over the industrial Donbas region.
“Measures are being undertaken to completely rid the town of militants and to block Ukrainian units that have evacuated the town and are fortified at the Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant,” stated Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov.
Russian state television aired footage depicting the removal of blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flags in Avdiivka, with Russia’s white, blue, and red tricolor flag subsequently hoisted, including over the coke plant. Ukrainian authorities have yet to make a public statement regarding these developments.
In February 2022, Putin dispatched tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine, precipitating a full-scale war following eight years of conflict in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian Ukrainians and proxies.
Avdiivka, known as Avdeyevka in Russian, has been embroiled in a decade-long conflict. It holds significant symbolic value for Russia, having briefly fallen under the control of Moscow-backed separatists in 2014 before being reclaimed by Ukrainian troops, who fortified the area extensively.
The city’s control is pivotal to Moscow’s objective of securing complete dominance over the industrial Donbas region. Its loss marks a substantial setback for Ukraine, which has been grappling with mounting difficulties in repelling Russian forces amidst severe ammunition shortages and manpower constraints.
The capture of Avdiivka is expected to buoy morale for Russia, particularly as Putin gears up for reelection next month, a contest in which he is all but assured victory.
Furthermore, it is perceived as another stride toward solidifying Moscow’s grip on the regional hub of Donetsk, located approximately 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) to the east and held by Russian and pro-Russian forces since 2014.
