Russia is abandoning “all reserves” for attacks on Avdiivka and redeploying troops from other sectors, General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi said on Friday, as fierce fighting continues in the city, the Kyiv Independent reports.

Avdiyivka, located just a few kilometers from occupied Donetsk, will come under increased Russian attack from October 2023 as Moscow forces seek to encircle and capture the city. Recent reports indicate that the situation in the sector is deteriorating.

“The defense forces of Ukraine continue to hold back the Russian invaders, who are outnumbered in terms of personnel, artillery and aviation,” said Tarnavskyi, who commands the Tavria military group stationed in Avdiivka.

Ukrainian forces reportedly repelled 30 Russian attacks on Friday, the commander said. Russia also launched 20 airstrikes and more than 150 artillery shells.

“It’s hell on earth”

The commander of the Ukrainian unit transferred to Avdiivka to strengthen the city’s defenses says that it is “hell on earth” here, and the general who controls this part of the front says that there is “fierce fighting” in the city, which has become a territory. the new epicenter of hostilities in Ukraine, AFP and Reuters report.

Andriy Biletskyi, the commander of the 3rd Airborne Assault Brigade, which was recently sent to Avdiivka to stabilize the situation, in a message published on his Telegram channel, says that his soldiers are forced to “wage a 360-degree battle with new brigades, which the enemy is mobilizing.”

“Avdiyivka is hell on earth,” he emphasized, adding that in the battles for this city in the east of the Donetsk region, “our fighters show unprecedented heroism.”

Biletskyi described the situation in the city as “volatile” and “volatile” as the Russians appear to be throwing new forces here in an attempt to capture Avdiivka since last October.

The fall of Avdiivka would be an important symbolic victory for Russia and the first major victory since the capture of Bakhmut late last spring.

A day ago, the Ukrainian army said that in some areas of the city of Avdiyivka it is conducting maneuvers to move troops to “more advantageous positions”, and in other places it is trying to repel Russian troops.

The 3rd amphibious assault brigade, which is currently stationed in Avdiivka, took part in the battle for Bakhmut, and then in the offensive in eastern Ukraine last summer, being formed from battle-hardened fighters.

The Russian army has drawn about 50,000 soldiers to the Avdiivka front, Ukrainians claim.