As of: February 1, 2024, 6:07 p.m
By: Tadhg Nagel
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Fighting has been going on in Avdiivka for months.
The city is considered a key position in the Ukraine War.
New images are intended to show the extent of the destruction.
Kiev - Fighting has been raging around Avdiivka for months - the city is considered the gateway to the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk.
New footage appears to show the destruction following ongoing Russian attacks in the Ukraine war.
A short clip released by Ukrainian special forces on Wednesday (January 31) shows burnt-out, crumbling buildings and a soldier making his way through the snow-covered streets of the city, which has already endured ten years on the front lines.
Debris lies scattered under bare trees.
The footage is dated January 2024 but does not provide any further details.
It is currently not possible to check whether the recordings are authentic.
Russian offensive on Avdiivka costs many lives - 1,000 residents are still holding out
The Russian offensive on Avdiivka, which has been going on since October 10th, has already resulted in thousands of deaths on both sides.
In recent months, the Russian army has made slow but steady progress in the area.
Although Russia has carried out increased attacks along front lines in Ukraine's Kharkiv and Luhansk regions in recent weeks, Britain's Ministry of Defense said on Saturday (January 27) that Avdiivka was Russia's "main priority."
Efforts are still underway to evacuate the fewer than 1,000 remaining residents.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a visit to the front in Avdiivka.
© IMAGO/Ukraine Presidency via Bestimage
The Kremlin launched a "triple attack" to encircle Avdiivka from the south and north, with fighting breaking out on the edges of Avdiivka's eastern quarter, the British government said.
According to the ministry, Russian troops are trying to bypass the Ukrainian fortifications through sewage tunnels, which appears to have already been partially successful.
The
Russian military blogger Razvyedka published a post on Telegram on January 20 calling the operation a “resounding victory and a completely new level of operational art.”
Nevertheless, the British Ministry of Defense assumes that Ukraine will hold the city for the time being.
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According to Putin, the “most important” focal point of the fighting - Russia loses numerous vehicles in Avdiivka
If Avdiivka were to be taken, it would be a significant victory for Russia, not just symbolically.
It would allow the Army to significantly expand its logistical operations.
It would also complicate Ukrainian operations against Russian positions in the regional capital Donetsk and could pave Russia's way to Kostiantynivka - a "quite important fortress," as former Ukrainian colonel Serhiy Hrabsky told the US portal
Newsweek
.
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin described Avdiivka as one of the “most important” hotspots of fighting.
However, the Russian advances around Avdiivka come at a high price.
According to the British Ministry of Defense, Russia lost around 200 armored vehicles in the first three weeks of the offensive.
Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavsky, commander of Ukraine's Tavria forces covering Avdiivka, said there were "hundreds of destroyed Russian units" along the front line near the city.
To conserve armored vehicles, Russian forces have switched their attacks on Avdiivka to infantry units, according to the US-based think tank Institute for the Study of War.
(
tpn
)