The invasion troops sent by Vladimir Putin to Ukraine continue to fight on several fronts with the strategic goal of capturing all of Donbas, and the main effort is to capture the city of Avdiyivka, according to an assessment of British military experts released on Saturday.

What the UK Ministry of Defense says:

• “Russia continues its offensive in several directions in accordance with its strategic goal of conquering Donbas.
• On January 21, 2024, Russian troops captured the villages of Krokhmalne in Kharkiv and on January 18, 2024, Vesele near Bakhmut; however, the cities are strategically insignificant. Before the war, 102 people lived in Vesely, and 45 in Krokhmalny.
• This continues the trend of small increases by Russia, while Ukraine focuses on active defense.
• The city of Avdiyivka is considered a priority for Russian troops. The Russians are launching a three-pronged attack to encircle the city from the south and north, as well as fighting on the approaches to the eastern quarter of Avdiyivka.
• Russian forces have suffered heavy losses of personnel and armored vehicles, often caused by Ukrainian munitions launched from unmanned aerial vehicles (drones).
• It is reported that Russian troops are trying to bypass Ukrainian fortifications, going to the outskirts of the city through service tunnels; this is a penetration method they have been trying since October 2023.
• Ukrainian counterattacks prevent Russian troops from advancing further into the city.
• With the main supply route intact and Ukrainian forces conducting local counterattacks, it is likely that Avdiyivka will remain under Ukrainian control in the coming weeks.”

What the latest assessment of the Institute for the Study of War shows:

On Friday, Russian troops made very little progress near Avdiyivka and the city amid ongoing positional battles in the area.

Geolocation images released on Thursday show that Russian forces have recently made a small advance north of Stepovoye (3 km northwest of Avdiivka) and along Sportivnaya Street in the southernmost residential area of ​​Avdiivka.

A Russian military blogger said that Russian troops advanced in the area of ​​the “Tsarska Okhota” restaurant on the southern outskirts of Avdiivka.

Positional battles continued to the northwest of Avdiivka in the area of ​​Novobakhmutivka and Stepovoy, to the northeast of Avdiivka, from Kamianka in the area of ​​the southeastern outskirts of Avdiivka, to the southwest of Avdiivka in the area of ​​Vodyanyi, Pervomaisky, and Nevelsky.