Hell in Avdiivka. What is happening with the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Donetsk

The Avdiivka direction, in particular Peski, became the hottest area on the front. The occupiers cover the Ukrainian positions with heavy artillery fire.

In the battles near Avdiivka and Pesok in the Donetsk region, “just hell” is happening, which “can’t even be described in words,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said. The Avdiivka direction is regularly listed in the reports of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is united by settlements along the western outskirts of Donetsk – Sands are located south of Avdiivka. After five months of frontal attacks, the Russian invaders seem to have decided to encircle Avdiivka. Korrespondent.net tells the details.

The situation in Avdiivka: it is impossible to break the advantage of the occupiers in artillery

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy admitted in an evening address that the sector of the front in the Donetsk direction has turned into hell due to a lack of weapons and manpower.

“We still cannot completely break the advantage of the Russian army in artillery and manpower, and this is very felt in the battles, especially in the Donbass – Peski, Avdiivka, and other directions. It’s just hell there. It can’t even be described in words,” he said.

Zelensky added that Ukrainian diplomats are working hard every day to ensure that the Ukrainian Armed Forces get the weapons they need to stop the Russian occupiers, and thanked US President Joe Biden for the new defense aid package.

The President noted that the word “HIMARS“has become almost synonymous with the word “justice” for Ukraine.

“And the Ukrainian defenders will do everything to ensure that the occupiers experience more and more painful losses every week thanks to these very effective systems,” he said and stressed that every Ukrainian should always be grateful to the soldiers who defend Ukrainian positions, despite the tangible fire advantage enemy.

On this day, in the evening report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine it was said that in the Avdiivka direction the invaders carried out assault operations in the direction of Mineralnoye – Avdiivka, but they were not successful and retreated. However, in the direction of Donetsk – Peski, the enemy achieved partial success.

Prior to that, during the five months of a large-scale Russian invasion, it was the front line near Donetsk that did not budge, as it became one of the most fortified in the eight years of the war.

Near occupied Donetsk: “The occupiers carried out assaults in the direction of Mineralne – Avdiivka, they did not succeed, they retreated. The enemy has partial success in the Donetsk-Pisky direction.”
–General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine report, 18:00, 2 August 2022 pic.twitter.com/hjOfaJl6xR

— Michael MacKay (@mhmck) August 2, 2022

In the morning report on August 3, there was only a short message: in the Avdiivka direction, the enemy was shelling the Avdiivka area, trying to improve the tactical situation, but to no avail – with losses, they retreated.

On August 3, the National Police reported that Avdiivka was the hottest spot in the Donetsk region over the past 24 hours. Russian troops fired on the civilian population from aviation, rocket launchers, artillery, Gradov and Hurricanes, tanks, law enforcement officers said and added that there were casualties and destruction of civilian objects.

Chairman of the Avdiivka City Military Administration Vitaliy Barabash reported Radio Donbass. The reality of August 2 is that some positions had to be withdrawn because there was nothing left. Here are his main theses:

• In recent days, shelling in this area has intensified many times over. Cannon and rocket artillery, as well as aviation, are used.

• The Ukrainian military retreated from their positions at the Butovka mine, because there is nothing to hold on to: there is nothing left.

• Russian troops have had some success in Peski. Ukrainian units took people away from some positions. These positions are completely defeated by the invaders.

• Constant attempts at assault actions are also continuing north of Avdeevka, in the areas of Kamenka and Krasnogorovka. Also, Russian troops are trying to storm the Avdiivka industrial area. But it is very difficult for them to advance there.

• It has also become more frequent to fly to Avdiivka itself. The city has long been without electricity, water and gas. Despite this, about 2.5 thousand people remain there. Some have just decided to leave. And there are those who are already returning to the city from the evacuation.

• The Russians cannot capture Avdiivka with direct attacks. So they try to advance from the flanks.

At the same time, American analysts from the Institute for the Study of War in reportpublished on the night of August 3, they write that Russian forces probably decided to attack Avdiivka head-on from the territory of the occupied Donetsk region, and not wait until the Armed Forces of Ukraine retreat from their prepared defensive positions.

Under the message of the General Staff about the partial success of the occupiers in this area, they probably mean the displacement of Ukrainian forces from the Butovo mine area to the south-west of Avdiivka, the ISW report says.

“In the near future, the enemy will also try to seize the highway connecting Pesky and Avdeevka. Attempts to storm Avdeevka for Russia have not previously brought significant progress,” American experts write in the report.