The battle for Avdiivka has become the most expensive for Russia in a full-scale war. Ukrainian artillery destroyed columns of armored vehicles and infantry of the Russian Armed Forces on the outskirts of the city on a very large scale, the New York Times reports.
The publication writes that almost three weeks after the start of the battle, the Russian army was unable to make the quick breakthrough it had hoped for. The Russian losses near Avdiivka are higher than the losses during the offensive on Vuhledar.
The fighting on the first day of the major offensive on Avdiivka was reportedly so intense that the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade ran out of drones and asked for reinforcements from the 109th Brigade, located nearby.
The journalists noted that Avdiivka has been a target for the Russian Armed Forces since 2014. According to a fighter in the 109th Territorial Defense Brigade, this is the most brutal attack on the city in the entire war.
"The maximum we had was half a day of silence," he said.
It is noted that the Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to block the use of major highways and railways along the front line for the Russian Federation. Therefore, Avdiivka is of strategic value to the Russians. Its capture will push Ukrainian troops away from Donetsk and open up major rail and road routes for Russian troops in the area.
In addition, the city reportedly has political value. Capturing the city after so many years of resistance would be a major success for Russian President Vladimir Putin on the eve of winter.
