Persistent Conflict in Eastern Ukraine as Russia Continues Assault on Key City

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Reports from Ukrainian officials indicate that the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka has been under relentless assault by Russian forces for the past five days. The city, strategically situated in the eastern Donetsk region just north of the Russian-held regional capital, Donetsk, is witnessing intense combat, according to Avdiivka’s leader, Vitalii Barabash.

Barabash conveyed that Moscow has been deploying additional forces to encircle Avdiivka, heightening tensions in the region. He stated on Ukrainian television, “The enemy hasn’t halted its assaults or shelling of positions around Avdiivka.” It’s worth noting that despite the ongoing conflict, approximately 1,600 civilians remain in the city, a stark contrast to its prewar population of about 31,000. This conflict stems from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initiation of war against Ukraine in February 2022.

These developments come on the heels of remarks by Russia’s U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, during a U.N. Security Council meeting. Nebenzia asserted that the escalated attacks in the east represent a new phase in Moscow’s campaign in Ukraine. He stated, “Russian troops have, for several days now, shifted to active combat operations across the entire front line. … The so-called Ukrainian counteroffensive can, therefore, be considered concluded.”

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy contradicted this view earlier in the week, affirming that Ukrainian forces were successfully holding off Russian troops and maintaining their ground. Meanwhile, in Donetsk’s region, acting governor Ihor Moroz reported 22 civilians wounded due to Russian shelling in the past 24 hours.

Further north, the situation along the northern stretch of Ukraine’s eastern front has deteriorated significantly, as per Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine’s land forces. In a Facebook post, Syrskyi, who visited troops in the area, disclosed that Russian forces had regrouped following losses and were launching attacks around the village of Makiivka while advancing toward the city of Kupiansk. Their objective appears to be encircling Kupiansk and reaching the Oskil River.

Additionally, two women, aged 60 and 42, tragically lost their lives in two separate Russian shelling incidents in the city of Beryslav in Ukraine’s partly-occupied Kherson region.

In Russia, the Defense Ministry reported the successful interception of two Ukrainian drones over the Black Sea near the southern resort city of Sochi on Saturday morning. Another drone was downed in the Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine, during the afternoon, according to regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. It’s worth noting that Ukrainian officials have not acknowledged responsibility for these drone attacks on Russian territory.

For more updates on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, you can follow AP’s coverage at https://bigbignews.net/russia-ukraine.

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