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On 18 July, the DPR claimed it had "half-surrounded" Avdiivka, having blocked two of the roads leading into the town. The ISW also stated that fighting north of Avdiivka had intensified on July 18.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The DPR said that the forces of the republic blocked the road Avdeevka - Konstantinovka|url=https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/15242185 |access-date=2022-07-18 |website=tass.ru}}</ref>
On 18 July, the DPR claimed it had "half-surrounded" Avdiivka, having blocked two of the roads leading into the town. The ISW also stated that fighting north of Avdiivka had intensified on July 18.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The DPR said that the forces of the republic blocked the road Avdeevka - Konstantinovka|url=https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/15242185 |access-date=2022-07-18 |website=tass.ru}}</ref>


=== Renewed offensive (28 July – present) ===
=== Renewed assaults (28 July – present) ===
On 28 July, DPR and Russian forces launched a claimed offensive to surround Avdiivka. Russian and separatist forces assaulted the towns of [[Krasnohorivka, Yasynuvata Raion|Krasnohorivka]], [[Pisky, Yasynuvata Raion|Pisky]], and other towns north of Avdiivka, with unspecified gains.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 29 |url=https://www.criticalthreats.org/analysis/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-29 |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=Critical Threats}}</ref> On 31 July, the Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces attempted advances around Kamyanka and Pisky and that unspecified separate Russian units had ”partial success” around Avdiivka. Donetsk People‘s Republic (DNR) Deputy Information Minister Daniil Bezsonov claimed that Russian and DNR forces secured positions on the southeastern outskirts of Pisky, which is consistent with Ukrainian reports.<ref>{{Cite web|title=RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, JULY 31|url=https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-31|date=3 August 2022|website=Institute for the Study of War|access-date=2022-08-01}}</ref> The Head of the Avdiivka City Military Administration [[Vitalii Barabash]] said that only 10% of the pre-war population of Avdiivka remained or about 2,500 people.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.latestly.com/socially/world/official-2500-civilians-remain-in-avdiivka-head-of-the-avdiivka-city-military-latest-tweet-by-the-kyiv-independent-4038355.html | title=Official: 2,500 Civilians Remain in Avdiivka. Head of the Avdiivka City Military ... - Latest Tweet by the Kyiv Independent &#124; 🌎 LatestLY | date=4 August 2022 }}</ref>
On 28 July, DPR and Russian forces launched a claimed offensive to surround Avdiivka. Russian and separatist forces assaulted the towns of [[Krasnohorivka, Yasynuvata Raion|Krasnohorivka]], [[Pisky, Yasynuvata Raion|Pisky]], and other towns north of Avdiivka, with unspecified gains.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 29 |url=https://www.criticalthreats.org/analysis/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-29 |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=Critical Threats}}</ref> On 31 July, the Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces attempted advances around Kamyanka and Pisky and that unspecified separate Russian units had ”partial success” around Avdiivka. Donetsk People‘s Republic (DNR) Deputy Information Minister Daniil Bezsonov claimed that Russian and DNR forces secured positions on the southeastern outskirts of Pisky, which is consistent with Ukrainian reports.<ref>{{Cite web|title=RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, JULY 31|url=https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-31|date=3 August 2022|website=Institute for the Study of War|access-date=2022-08-01}}</ref> The Head of the Avdiivka City Military Administration [[Vitalii Barabash]] said that only 10% of the pre-war population of Avdiivka remained or about 2,500 people.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.latestly.com/socially/world/official-2500-civilians-remain-in-avdiivka-head-of-the-avdiivka-city-military-latest-tweet-by-the-kyiv-independent-4038355.html | title=Official: 2,500 Civilians Remain in Avdiivka. Head of the Avdiivka City Military ... - Latest Tweet by the Kyiv Independent &#124; 🌎 LatestLY | date=4 August 2022 }}</ref>


Revision as of 03:52, 9 August 2022

Not to be confused with Battle of Avdiivka (2017).
Battle of Avdiivka
Part of the war in Donbas, Battle of Donbas, eastern Ukraine offensive and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
File:Battle of Avdiivka.jpg
A church destroyed in Avdiivka on 21 February
Date21 February 2022 – present
(2 years, 7 months, 2 weeks and 3 days)
Location
Avdiivka (and surrounding villages), Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine
Status

Ongoing

Belligerents
  Ukraine
Commanders and leaders
Denis Sinenkov[1]
Sergey Agranovich †[2]		 Dzhemil Izmailov[3]
Artyom Murakhovskyi †[4][5]
Units involved
Sparta Battalion[6]
Middle Eastern Foreign volunteers[7]		 72nd Mechanized Brigade
Azov Battalion
Casualties and losses
Per Ukraine:
150+ killed		 Per DPR:
185+ killed (since 10 June)[8]
Per Ukraine:
5 killed (22 March only)[9]
18+ civilians killed, 31+ wounded

The battle of Avdiivka is an ongoing military engagement between the Russian Armed Forces and Donbas Separatist Forces on one side and the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the other. It is being fought over the town of Avdiivka, located in the Donbas region.[10] Fighting started when violence erupted again in the Donbas on 21 February, when Russian president Vladimir Putin recognized the Donetsk People's Republic.[11] Days later, when Russia invaded Ukraine, Avdiivka was among the first places to be attacked.[12]

Background

Avdiivka has been at the front lines of the Russo-Ukrainian War since 2015.[10] It was the site of the 2017 battle of Avdiivka, resulting in the destruction of the town, though Ukrainian forces still held it.[10]

Battle

Early fighting (21 February – 17 April)

On 21 February 2022, it was reported that Russian troops were aiding the separatists in Avdiivka.[12]

When Russia officially started its invasion of Ukraine, Avdiivka was one of its main targets. On 13 March, Russian forces bombed the Avdiivka Coke Plant[13] and it was reported on 25 March that Artem Murakhovskyi, a commander of the Azov Battalion, was killed in Avdiivka.[4]

Escalation (18 April – 27 July)

On 18 April, Russia renewed its invasion on Eastern Ukraine by heavily shelling and attacking Avdiivka.[14][15][16] Around 2,000 of Avdiivka's residents were forced to flee underground.[17][18][19]

Avdiivka 1st school after shelling by white phosphorus munitions

During the battle, use of white phosphorus munitions by Russian forces was reported several times. Governor of Donetsk Oblast Pavlo Kyrylenko reported a phosphorus attack on the city industrial zone on 26 March,[20] on the area of the coking plant on 26 April, and on the city center, causing several fires, the next day.[21][22] On 18 May, Avdiivka 1st school was destroyed by a Russian attack with phosphorus munitions.[23][24] On 29 April, videos of the Russian army shelling Ukrainian forces in Avdiivka with a thermobaric weapon were published.[25]

On May 26, Ukraine's General Staff reported that Russian forces were advancing through Avdiivka, capturing many areas in the city.[26]

On 1 June, the DPR took control of a major highway.[27] On 6 June, the DPR took territory near Kamianka.[28] On 12 June, Russia again bombed the Avdiivka Coke Plant.[29] School No. 6 was destroyed on 21 June, being the third school destroyed in Avdiivka.[30] On 24 June, Russian forces fired on Avdiivka.[31]

Russian forces later captured Novoselivka Druha on 4 July, which is 10km northeast of Avdiivka, in an attempt to encircle the city.[32] On 7 July, Russian forces shelled Avdiivka for 24 hours. They hit infrastructure, a hospital, residential buildings, a bus depot, and the Avdiivka Coke Plant.[33]

On 18 July, the DPR claimed it had "half-surrounded" Avdiivka, having blocked two of the roads leading into the town. The ISW also stated that fighting north of Avdiivka had intensified on July 18.[34]

Renewed assaults (28 July – present)

On 28 July, DPR and Russian forces launched a claimed offensive to surround Avdiivka. Russian and separatist forces assaulted the towns of Krasnohorivka, Pisky, and other towns north of Avdiivka, with unspecified gains.[35] On 31 July, the Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces attempted advances around Kamyanka and Pisky and that unspecified separate Russian units had ”partial success” around Avdiivka. Donetsk People‘s Republic (DNR) Deputy Information Minister Daniil Bezsonov claimed that Russian and DNR forces secured positions on the southeastern outskirts of Pisky, which is consistent with Ukrainian reports.[36] The Head of the Avdiivka City Military Administration Vitalii Barabash said that only 10% of the pre-war population of Avdiivka remained or about 2,500 people.[37]

Ukraine said on 5 August that it lost the Butiyka coal mine to Russia and claimed it was pushed to the outskirts of Avdiivka.[38][39] The DPR claimed its forces and Russia took Pisky, with Ukraine rejecting the claim.[40][41]. On July 7, combat footage showed that Russian forces had reached the centre of Pisky.[42]

Casualties

50 civilians have been killed and wounded in the city since the start of the invasion.

On 8 April, one person was killed and another injured by Russian shelling.[43] On 13 April, one civilian was killed and 12 were wounded in Avdiivka.[44] On 2 May, three civilians were killed due to Russian bombardment.[45] On 3 May 2022, according to a news article on Dutch outlet Nos.nl, at least 10 people died and 15 more were injured during an attack on a coking plant. Allegedly, the attack took place after the workers had finished work and were waiting for the bus.[46] On 23 May, Russian shelling and artillery bombarded Avdiivka all night long. Three civilians were injured and 20 houses as well as a kindergarten were damaged severely.[47] On 30 May, one civilian was killed during a street fight in Avdiivka.[48] 2 civilians were killed on June 12.[49] On 5 July, 2 civilians were killed in Avdiivka.[50]One civilian was killed and two wounded on 7 July.[51] One civilian was killed on 6 August.[52]

Notes

  1. ^ from 21 February alleged by Ukraine, officially from 24 February

References

  1. ^ "Russian Hybrid Threats Report: Despite debunking of false flags, Putin recognizes breakaway republics". February 22, 2022.
  2. ^ Lapsakov, Artur (21 April 2022). "Глава ДНР сообщил о гибели командира разведроты батальона "Спарта"". life.ru (in Russian).
  3. ^ Adler, Nils. "'There's always danger': Preparing for war on Ukraine's front line". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 2022-03-12. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  4. ^ a b "Leader of Neonazi Azov Battalion reportedly killed". The Morning Star. 25 March 2022. Archived from the original on 27 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  5. ^ Sweeney, Steve (March 28, 2022). "Leader of neo-nazi Azov Battalion reportedly killed in Ukraine". Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  6. ^ "NEXTA's tweet - "The separatists have lost again In the battles for #Avdeevka, the commander of the second company of the Sparta battalion, Sergey Agranovich, known under the call sign "Vodyanoy", died. " - Trendsmap". www.trendsmap.com.
  7. ^ "Russia deploys up to 20,000 mercenaries in battle for Ukraine's Donbas region". the Guardian. April 19, 2022.
  8. ^ [1][2][3][4][5][6]
  9. ^ "5 killed in Russian strikes on eastern Ukraine's Avdiivka". www.timesofisrael.com.
  10. ^ a b c Crosbie, Jack (February 20, 2022). "Their Town Has Been on Ukraine's Front Line for 8 Years. But They Won't Give Up on It Yet". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  11. ^ Troianovski, Anton (February 21, 2022). "Putin Orders Troops to Separatist Regions and Recognizes Their Independence". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 21, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Sahuquillo, María R. (February 24, 2022). "Ready for the worst: Life in the trenches of Ukraine's Donbas region". EL PAÍS English Edition. Archived from the original on 2022-03-28. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  13. ^ "Ukraine's largest steel firm says shells hit Avdiivka coke plant". Reuters. March 13, 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-03-28. Retrieved 2022-03-28 – via www.reuters.com.
  14. ^ "Russian Military Fail To Take By Storming Popasna, Novotoshkivske, Avdiivka And Mariinka - Armed Forces". 2022-04-18.
  15. ^ "Ukrainian defenders refuse to surrender". Eagle-Tribune. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
  16. ^ Rousseau, Daphne. "Ukrainian president: Russia's large-scale offensive in eastern Ukraine has started". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
  17. ^ Landry, Carole (April 20, 2022). "On the Front Line in the East". The New York Times.
  18. ^ Schwirtz, Michael (April 20, 2022). "A Ukrainian Town Goes Underground as Russia Assaults the East". The New York Times.
  19. ^ "Ukrainian town Avdiivka goes underground as Russia assaults the East". The Indian Express. April 21, 2022.
  20. ^ "В Авдіївці війська РФ застосували фосфорні боєприпаси – голова Донецької ОВА" (in Ukrainian). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2022-03-26. Archived from the original on 2022-05-14.
  21. ^ "Donetsk regional administration: Russia uses phosphorus shells in Avdiivka". Report.az. 2022-04-27. Archived from the original on 2022-05-25.
  22. ^ "Российские войска обстреляли Авдеевку фосфорными боеприпасами – глава Донецкой ОВА" (in Russian). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2022-04-27. Archived from the original on 2022-04-27.
  23. ^ "Wednesday, May 18. Russia's War On Ukraine: News And Information From Ukraine". Forbes. 2022-05-18.
  24. ^ "На Донеччині росіяни обстріляли школу забороненими фосфорними боєприпасами. Вона згоріла вщент — ОВА" (in Ukrainian). Hromadske. 2022-05-18.
  25. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 29". Institute for the Study of War. 2022-04-29. Archived from the original on 2022-05-15.
  26. ^ "Russian forces have 'upper hand' in Donbas fighting, Ukrainian officials say | Ukraine | the Guardian".
  27. ^ "Pro-Russia separatists claim gains outside Ukraine's Avdiivka". June 2022.
  28. ^ "Pro-Russian fighters reportedly seize new turf during advance on Avdiivka". Newsweek. 6 June 2022.
  29. ^ "Huge Smoke Cloud Seen After Blast in Ukraine City with Chemical Plant: Report".
  30. ^ "Third School Destroyed in Donetsk's Avdiivka (+Video) - World news".
  31. ^ "Russians open fire on 13 settlements in Donetsk Region, casualties reported".
  32. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 4". Critical Threats. Retrieved 2022-07-08.
  33. ^ "Enemy shelled Avdiivka more than 10 times in past day. Casualties reported".
  34. ^ "The DPR said that the forces of the republic blocked the road Avdeevka - Konstantinovka". tass.ru. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
  35. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 29". Critical Threats. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
  36. ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, JULY 31". Institute for the Study of War. 3 August 2022. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  37. ^ "Official: 2,500 Civilians Remain in Avdiivka. Head of the Avdiivka City Military ... - Latest Tweet by the Kyiv Independent | 🌎 LatestLY". 4 August 2022.
  38. ^ "Russia-Ukraine war: What we know on day 163 of the invasion". TheGuardian.com. 5 August 2022.
  39. ^ Polityuk, Pavel; Zinets, Natalia (5 August 2022). "Ukraine under pressure in east as NATO chief says Russia must not win". Reuters.
  40. ^ "Russian-backed separatists say they have taken Pisky village in east Ukraine, TASS reports". Reuters. 5 August 2022.
  41. ^ "Kyrylenko: Ukraine's Armed Forces control Pisky village in Donetsk region".
  42. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 8". Critical Threats. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
  43. ^ "One person killed, one wounded in Russian shelling of Avdiivka community". www.ukrinform.net. Archived from the original on 2022-04-09. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
  44. ^ "Live updates | Zelenskyy: No one can predict length of war". AP NEWS. 2022-05-13. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
  45. ^ "Nine Civilians Killed by Shelling in Ukraine's Donetsk Region - Local Governor".
  46. ^ "Explosies en stroomuitval in Lviv • VN: eerste evacués uit Azovstal in Zaporizja". nos.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-05-07.
  47. ^ "Three civilians injured as Russians fire on Avdiivka".
  48. ^ "Donetsk Oblast: Three civilians killed by invaders in one day".
  49. ^ "Donetsk Oblast: Russian forces kill 3 civilians on 9 June". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  50. ^ "Five civilians killed in Russian shelling in Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast". 6 July 2022.
  51. ^ "Enemy shelled Avdiivka more than 10 times in past day. Casualties reported".
  52. ^ "Russia Begins Fresh Assault in Eastern Ukraine".
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