Photo: image from an archived video of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Military expert for the German publication BILD Julian Röpke stated in his material that the Ukrainian army retreated from the first district of Avdiivka. “Russian troops have advanced approximately one kilometer into the city,” writes Roepke.
The analyst noted that a video shot by the Russian military from a drone shows Ukrainian soldiers leaving an industrial area and a nearby vacation spot. village. At the same time, Repke pointed out, Russian tanks and infantry took up positions in the southern part of Avdiivka a few minutes after the Ukrainians retreated and opened intense fire on the Ukrainian armed forces.
The German expert noted. that Ukraine already created its own forward positions here in 2014, so the loss of the industrial zone could be particularly painful for Kyiv.
According to him, Russian T-80 tanks are already in the western part of the industrial zone, which they have recently taken over Ukrainian Armed Forces. This refutes the Ukrainian command's claim that the fighters are holding the line.
Repke also writes that ten kilometers to the north, at the other end of Avdiivka, the situation is better for the Ukrainian armed forces, but observers expect a repeat of the fate in Avdiivka Bakhmuta (Artemovsk).