Avdiivka: A Cautionary Tale

A clear set of actions one should refrain from in Ukraine

You need to make things move, not the other way around (Licensed Image)

Over the past 12 days, Russia has been consistently directing its resources toward Avdiivka without interruption. Their strategy involves attempting to encircle the Ukrainian defenders in Avdiivka by advancing on the flanks.

This move represents Russia’s effort to regain the initiative from Ukraine. However, the contrast is evident. Ukraine has not been sacrificing entire battalions of troops every few days to secure an advantage on the battlefield, as Russia has been doing since launching their counteroffensive in the sector on October 10th.

“Russian forces are funneling additional forces to the Avdiivka front despite ongoing challenges with frontal mechanized assaults and the failure of a renewed push on October 19–20. Several Russian milbloggers claimed that there were no significant changes along the front in the Avdiivka direction on October 22, ” the Institute for the Study of War reported.

The ISW addressed several crucial points in its assessment today, providing a comprehensive overview of the current battlefield. This assessment succinctly encapsulates the unique conditions on the battlefield and highlights why tactics that may have been effective in past wars no longer apply in Ukraine. The current battlefield…