British Intelligence: Avdiivka Can Become Second Bakhmut

The Russian Federation wants to capture Avdiivka in order to continue the stalled assault on Vuhledar.

Due to the continuous attempts of the Russian army to surround Avdiivka near the city, a situation similar to the defense of Bakhmut is developing, British intelligence writes in a report.

According to the information provided by the intelligence, over the past three weeks Russian forces have made creeping gains around the Ukrainian-held Donbas town of Avdiivka, immediately north of Donetsk city. The Russian operation has largely been carried up by the 1st Army Corps of the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic”; local personnel who will know the terrain well.

In addition, Avdiivka is subjected to massive missile strikes. So, Russia can produce up to 12 shells per day. In addition, artillery and tanks are used for shelling, said head of the city administration Vitaly Barabash.

Avdiivka has been on the front line since 2014, the city is now largely destroyed. The British Intelligence considers that the Avdiivka Coke Plant is likely to be seen as particularly defendable key terrain as the battle progresses.Tactically, the situation is similar to that in the larger town of Bakhmut, further north. Ukrainian forces continue organized defense, but their supply lines to the west are increasingly threatened by the Russian envelopment operation, the analysts add.

The AFU confirmed this information. According to Colonel Oleksiy Dmitrashkovsky, head of the joint press center of the defense forces of the Tauride direction, Russian troops “are constantly trying to encircle Avdiivka”. “I agree with my colleagues from Britain that Avdiivka may soon become the second Bakhmut — this is true,” he stated.

At the same time, the colonel noted that during the storming of Avdiivka, the Russians acted “of the same type and predictably”, attacking from the same “landing” — as a result, “about three companies of personnel” were lost over the past day.

Earlier, the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Russia wants to capture Avdiivka in order to continue the stalled assault on Vuhledar, where its army has already “been burned more than once”.