According to intelligence information from the British Ministry of Defense, the Russian army has already lost hundreds of armored vehicles and thousands of soldiers in the battles for Avdiivka in Donetsk region.
Russian losses in the battles for Avdiivka
A British intelligence report notes that the Russian army is continuing its push into Donetsk region and is focusing key efforts on capturing Avdiivka.
In particular, at the cost of incredible losses, the occupiers managed to advance in the Avdiivka area and in the middle of the city.
In response, the Ukrainian military strengthens its defensive positions and deploys additional forces.
In its efforts to capture the city, Russia lost at least 400 tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and other heavy equipment, as well as probably thousands of personnel, British intelligence officials said.
Separately, British intelligence noted that the command of the occupation army of the Russian Federation continues to launch attacks to the west in the Bakhmut area with the aim of capturing the city of Chasiv Yar.
Russia has been unable to advance beyond Bakhmut since control was established in March 2023, the British intelligence report said.
What Ukraine says
According to the spokesman of the 3rd separate assault brigade, Oleksandr Borodin, on the air of the telethon, the Russian occupiers have currently thrown all available forces into the assault on Avdiyivka, so the situation is extremely difficult.
At the same time, Borodin assumed that the frantic pressure of the Russian military was connected with the Kremlin's order to urgently capture Avdiivka before the elections.
The pressure from the Russians is simply extraordinary. The Russians throw all the power of their army, which is available, not only a large number of infantry, but also armored vehicles, FPV, anti-aircraft missiles, phosphorous ammunition. Gases of various types: not so much, but there are cases, they are not fatal, but they disable a person. That is, they do not save anything, it is clearly some kind of principled political decision regarding the assaults, — notes the spokesman of the 3rd OSHB.
He noted that even recently, the criminal army of the Russian Federation used prisoners as part of the "Wagner" PMC during the storming of Bakhmut, because they were not planned to be protected.
However, currently, in the storming of Avdiivka, the occupiers are losing a large number of armored vehicles and personnel, in particular, regular army brigades and special forces units of the GRU.
That is, these are educated people, not convicts. In fact, some of them are the elite of the Russian army, but they all go to the meat grinder. Therefore, I believe that they have some kind of principled position, regardless of any consequences, they should take it away, — emphasizes Borodin.
The spokesman of the 3rd OSHB noted that the criminal army of the Russian Federation is constantly strengthening and replenishing losses at the expense of powerful reserves.
In other cases — without a reserve and additional forces — they would no longer be in combat readiness. And due to the reserves, they are constantly adding new and new forces. Now, in fact, we are being stormed by two armies, a group consisting of brigades, Borodin emphasized.
He also added that the 3rd separate assault brigade has established cooperation with various units and is applying the military experience gained in the Bakhmut direction.
Roughly speaking, we immediately entered a critical situation, but even before we entered, it was already critical. Many positions of the enemy have the ability to fire at almost 360 degrees. It does not give an opportunity to say that somehow the situation is more or less stable. It is very dynamic and is in a rather serious critical situation, — noted Borodin.
At the same time, Borodin assured that Ukrainian logistics in Avdiivka are working, although each delivery has to be carried out as a "small military operation".
According to Maksym Zhorin, deputy commander of the 3rd OShBr and ex-commander of the "Azov" regiment, the occupying army is currently suffering such losses in the battle for Avdiivka as it has not suffered in any battle since the beginning of the war against Ukraine.
He emphasized that only as a result of one wave of enemy attack on the eve, on February 15, 80 Russian invaders were eliminated.
In general, we have already managed to destroy more than 4 thousand Russian soldiers. The scale is ah***sh. I think they have never had such losses as in the battles for Avdiivka. At least 6 brigades of the Russian army, plus one brigade of the DNR, special forces of the GRU and some of their SSO-shniks are now "erasing" the Ukrainian forces, Zhorin notes.
At the same time, Zhorin did not specify whether these 4,000 Russian invaders were killed specifically by the forces of the 3rd Assault Brigade, which entered the city a few days ago, or whether these were losses of the aggressor in this area during the entire period of the Russian offensive on the city, which began in October.
Zhorin also notes that the aggressor retains a significant numerical advantage. According to him, the Russians are sending 100 of their soldiers to attack some positions where 6 Ukrainian soldiers are defending.
