On 8 December, Russian troops conducted offensive operations near Avdiivka and confirmed the offensive by seizing Avdiivka's wastewater treatment facilities.
What is known about the situation near Avdiivka
Geolocation data released on 8 December shows that Russian troops are advancing towards the wastewater treatment plant south of Krasnohorivka (5km northwest of Avdiivka).
ISW also reported, citing Russian sources, that on 7 and 8 December, Russian troops advanced towards Novokalynove (13 km north-east of Avdiivka), to the outskirts of the Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant north-west of Avdiivka and in the industrial area southeast of Avdiivka.
On 8 December, Russian military bloggers claimed that Russian troops were strengthening their positions in Stepove (3km northwest of Avdiivka) and clearing the village, while another Russian military blogger reported that Russian troops were holding positions on the eastern outskirts of Stepove.
Ukraine's General Staff reported that Russian forces unsuccessfully attacked east of Novobakhmutivka (9km northwest of Avdiivka); south of Tonenke (5km west of Avdiivka); and near Stepove, Avdiivka and Pervomaiske (10km southwest of Avdiivka).
Russian sources also claimed that on 7 and 8 December, Russian troops attacked north of the Avdiivka coke plant, as well as near Ocheretyne (15 km northwest of Avdiivka), Novokalynove and Pivdenne (6 km west of Avdiivka and the industrial zone).
On 8 December, positional fighting continued in the areas of Vodiane (7 km southwest of Avdiivka) and Tonenke.
A Russian source claims that difficult weather conditions have slowed the pace of Russian and Ukrainian operations near Avdiivka.
The spokesperson for the Tavria defence forces, Oleksandr Stupun, said that more than 40,000 Russian troops are fighting in the Avdiivka sector and that Russian troops are moving reserves of Sturm-Z units and mobilised troops who lack training and food to replenish their losses.
On 8 December, Russian troops continued their offensive in western Zaporizhzhia region and advanced. Geolocation data published on 7 December shows that Russian troops are advancing south of Robotyne towards Novoprokopivka (2km south of Robotyne).
On 8 December, the General Staff of Ukraine reported that Ukrainian troops had repelled Russian ground attacks near Robotyno and west of Verbove. Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets reported that Russian troops took advantage of the slowdown in the Ukrainian offensive in Zaporizhzhia region to reorganise their grouping and create operational reserves, but noted that Russian troops are currently unable to allocate significant resources to these reserves.
