Explained: Why Russia wants to capture Ukrainian city Avdievka

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky himself visited Avdievka in December. (document)

Kyiv:

As Moscow’s war in Ukraine continues, Russian forces are stepping up efforts to seize the small eastern Ukrainian city of Avdievka.

The fighting was reminiscent of that in the eastern city of Bakhmut, which was seized by Russia last May after months of fierce urban fighting and 15 months after a full-scale invasion that Moscow described as a “special military operation.” occupied.

Ukraine’s 3rd Commando Brigade, which participated in the Battle of Bakhmut, said it had deployed to Avdiivka, calling the situation there “threatening and unstable.”

What is AVDIIVKA?

Avdiivka, with a pre-war population of about 32,000 people and known to Russians as Avdeyevka, was briefly occupied in 2014 by Moscow-backed separatists who seized large swathes of eastern Ukraine. But it was later recaptured by Ukrainian troops who built fortifications.

Today, authorities say fewer than 1,000 residents remain, many hiding in cellars and basements. Officials said no building was intact and Avdievka’s mayor said the building was under attack from all sides.

Avdiivka is located in the Donbas industrial region, 15 kilometers (nine miles) north of the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk. Before the war, its Soviet-era coke plant was one of the largest in Europe.

Russian-backed officials describe Avdiivka as a “fortress” with concrete bunkers. They said the defenders were holed up in towers and would inflict huge damage if they stormed in head-on, using the coking plant as a base and weapons depot.

What losses did Russia and Ukraine suffer in AVDIIVKA?

Ukrainian and Western military analysts say Russia’s offensive on Avdievka has caused huge casualties.

Last November, British military intelligence said the fighting had resulted in “Russia’s highest casualty rate of the war to date.”

A member of Ukraine’s 47th Independent Mechanized Brigade told Radio Liberty: “Every day there will be new forces, no matter what the weather is, no matter what happens, there will be losses.”

“But they keep crawling anyway – literally crawling on their own bodies.”

Russian war bloggers, who are tightly controlled by the Kremlin, acknowledge Russia’s heavy losses but also claim Ukraine has suffered heavy losses as well.

They said Kiev’s forces could be surrounded if Russian forces were able to cut off its last major supply line to the west.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed the importance of Avdiivka on January 31, saying that a group of veterans had recently occupied 19 buildings ahead of the military, an assertion that echoed others Like the battlefield reports, Reuters was unable to confirm.

Russia has been conducting air strikes with the assistance of special forces and using artillery, drones, helicopters, tanks and infantry, according to regular updates from the Russian Defense Ministry.

Ukraine replaced its popular army chief of staff and other military leaders on February 8 but has not revealed what its military strategy is for the town or whether it might eventually withdraw its troops.

What are the dangers of AVDIIVKA?

Both sides see Avdiivka as key to Russia ensuring full control of the eastern “Donbas” provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk. These are among four Ukrainian regions that Russia claims it has annexed but does not fully control.

Avdivka is seen as the gateway to the city of Donetsk, and Russian officials said residential areas in Donetsk have been shelled by Ukrainian forces, sometimes from Avdivka.

Seizing the area could boost Russian morale and demoralize Ukrainian forces, which have made only incremental gains in a widespread counteroffensive since June. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy personally visited in December.

Former Kremlin adviser Sergei Markov said in February: “If Russian troops control the (supply) road, the Ukrainian armed forces will obviously be forced to withdraw from Avdeevka. This will be a great victory for the Russian army .” . 5.

Mykola Bereskov of the Institute for National Strategic Studies, a state-run think tank in Kyiv, said capturing Avdievka would not decisively tip the situation in Moscow’s favor but “would enable occupied Donetsk to serve as Russia’s main logistical hub” The situation is more stable.”

Bereskov believes the fighting is due to the Kremlin’s desire to strengthen the influence of Western skeptics who have called for cuts in support for Kyiv, citing the limited impact of billions of dollars in military aid.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)