Ukraine: Frontline on Fire
Russia ramps up its counter attacks
3,000 to 4,000 Russian soldiers killed.
7,000 to 8,000 wounded.
The recent update from Avdiivka’s mayor, Vitaliy Barabash, was quite surprising. It made me pause to consider whether it’s Ukraine or Russia shaping the situation in Avdiivka, making it resemble the ongoing conflict in Bakhmut.
After some thought, I deduced that Ukraine is the driving force here, as they have several strategies to counter Russia’s aggression in Avdiivka:
Ukraine could opt for a gradual retreat from Avdiivka, allowing Russian forces to occupy the town and temporarily regroup before they move to another location. Alternatively, Ukraine might escalate their counteroffensive in areas like Robotyne, Bakhmut, or Kherson. While this approach would increase their operational expenses, it could effectively impede Russian activities in Avdiivka.
However, Ukraine didn’t choose either of these paths. Instead, they decided to staunchly defend Avdiivka and launch counterattacks to reclaim lost territories in the region. This approach sends a definitive signal to Russia that Ukraine isn’t withdrawing. The outcome, as reported by Avdiivka’s mayor, has been a substantial loss for Russia in a very short period of time.
