The armed forces of the Russian Federation have advanced in the area of Avdiivka, Donetsk region, while the Ukrainian military managed to recapture certain positions. This was reported by analysts of the Institute for the Study of War in their daily report for April 18.
The analysts noted that the Russian military made a relatively significant tactical advance northwest of Avdiivka, reaching the outskirts of Ocheretyne and entering Kalynove, while the Ukrainian Armed Forces recaptured certain positions in the area.
According to geolocation footage from April 18, the Russian Armed Forces advanced about three kilometers along the road and railroad line to the southeastern outskirts of Ocheretyne.
A Russian military correspondent said that the occupiers allegedly advanced quickly after pushing the Defense Forces out of their positions in a dacha district southeast of Ocheretyne.
According to other geolocation footage from April 18, the Russian Armed Forces entered southeastern Novokalynove, and the Ukrainian military recaptured limited positions in western Berdychi.
Instead, Russian military correspondents claimed that the Russians allegedly entered Ocheretyne, further advanced south and southwest of Novokalynove, and came closer to Umanske and Netaylove, but ISW analysts found no visual evidence of this. The milblogger also claimed that the Russian Armed Forces were allegedly able to achieve such success because the Russian occupiers were holding back the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which counterattacked near Berdychi.
Positional battles continued in the area of Novobakhmutivka, near Semenivka, Yasnobrodivka, Nevelske and Pervomayske.