Ukraine war maps reveal battle zones as Russia renews Avdiivka push

Kiev’s forces have repelled a Russian offensive against Avdiivka, the Institute for War Research (ISW) said as it revealed battle zones in eastern Ukraine on its latest map.

The think tank said Kremlin forces made another advance on Avdiivka, north of the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk, making minor gains northwest of the settlement, according to geolocated footage dated Oct. 21.

A statement from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said: “The enemy (Russia) continues to try to encircle Avdiivka, but Ukrainian soldiers remain steadfast and inflict heavy losses on the enemy.”

“Ukrainian military officials, however, noted that Russian forces somewhat reduced the pace of their offensive operations near Avdiivka on October 21, and reiterated earlier Ukrainian reports that Russian forces used 50 tanks, 100 armored, in attacks on Avdiivka on October 19 Vehicles and 900 soldiers were lost,” said the ISW in its election campaign assessment on October 22nd.

Newsweek could not immediately verify the details in the report and has emailed the Ukrainian General Staff and the Russian Foreign Ministry for comment.

The ISW regularly provides maps showing updated battlefield positions in Ukraine and has indicated a slight increase in claimed Russian control around Avdiivka in its most recent map.

The city is located on a hill and would make it easier for Donetsk to defend itself against a Ukrainian attempt to take the city if Moscow troops succeeded in taking Avdiivka.

Russia’s continued commitment to sending waves of personnel and equipment to the Avdiivka area led the ISW to conclude that the country’s commanders were prioritizing the territory despite high casualties and “the generally low quality of Russian forces on the offensive.” would.

“A Ukrainian military official noted that Russia’s regular infantry and tactics are ‘consistently poor’ and that Russian forces instead rely on unmanned aerial systems (such as Lancet drones), artillery and aviation.

“It appears that Russian forces continue to use ineffective and costly tactics in offensive efforts near Avdiivka, resulting in high personnel and vehicle losses, and that they have done so continuously in multiple waves of attacks over the past week suggests that the Russian military command is prioritizing this axis, despite ongoing and growing losses.”

Britain’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) also said the flawed offensive on Avdiivka had had a devastating impact on its forces, adding that it had contributed to a 90 percent increase in personnel losses in the Kyiv military.

This was said by Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Tavria Forces Group, which covers Avdiivka Newsweek on Tuesday that around 800 Russian soldiers died every day in the opening phase of the offensive. He also estimated that Russia lost 3,000 soldiers and 61 tanks in the first five days of the attack.

According to the Defense Ministry, Russia has suffered between 150,000 and 190,000 permanent casualties since the Kremlin began its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, including dead and wounded people no longer fit for duty.