Deputy Defense Minister Malyar announced during a telethon that the Russian army does not intend to capture the city of Avdiivka. Instead, its goal is to surround the city and continue advancing with the intention of reaching the administrative border of Donetsk region, RBC-Ukraine reports.
"The enemy does not risk entering Avdiivka in order not to get bogged down in battles with our defenders. But the Russians want to go around it, to surround it. However, the enemy has not advanced here for a year," emphasized Malyar.According to the deputy minister, Russian troops are currently actively fighting for key heights and transportation routes in the vicinity of Avdiivka. After capturing them, they plan to advance further.
It is worth noting that this "forward movement" is most likely aimed at the cities of Ukrainsk, Selydove and Pokrovsk, and then further, up to the border of Dnipro region. Thus, the Russian army intends to enter the rear of the Ukrainian Armed Forces group currently operating on the Vremyevsky salient.
