Russia increases its pressure on the eastern front and claims the capture of a village near Bakhmut

Since the beginning of autumn, it is the Russian forces which have shown that they still have resources by launching attacks.

Increasing Russian pressure in eastern Ukraine. The Russian army claimed, on Wednesday November 29, the capture of a village near Bakhmout, while kyiv denounced an activity “increased” of Russia in the Avdiïvka area. The AFP was unable to independently verify these claims.

In recent weeks, the Ukrainian counter-offensive, launched this summer, has stalled in the South and East, without significant progress or hope of a breakthrough. And, since the beginning of autumn, it is the Russian forces which have shown that they still have resources by launching attacks.

For almost two months, they have been seeking to seize Avdiïvka, an industrial town in the suburbs of Donetsk, taken in 2014 by pro-Russian separatists and capital of the eponymous region that the Kremlin wants to completely conquer. Russian soldiers are to the east, north and south of Avdiïvka, now largely in ruins, almost surrounded but still served by an asphalt road. Over the months, this city has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance.

The town of Avdiïvka under threat

“The enemy, in recent days, has considerably increased its activity. He is using armored vehicles,” said Oleksandr Tarnavsky, Ukrainian commander responsible for the Avdiivka area. According to him, Russian troops carried out nearly 20 airstrikes, fired four missiles and more than a thousand artillery shells, unleashing 56 waves of assault on Ukrainian positions.

Oleksandr Tarnavsky, however, affirmed that the Ukrainian forces “firmly held the line along the Avdiïvka front”, which AFP was unable to independently verify. Briefly falling into the hands of pro-Russian separatists armed by Moscow in 2014, this city has since constituted the front line in this area. Around 1,350 people still live there, compared to 30,000 before the war.