The Ukrainian army is doing everything possible to protect Avdiivka in the Donetsk region from the Russian invaders. According to Forbes, one of the best brigades of the Armed Forces — the 3rd Airborne Assault Brigade — could be sent to save the city.
A battle for Avdiivka: Ukraine could make an important decision to protect the city
The journalists managed to find out, this is the only Ukrainian ground combat brigade that was in reserve in the east of Ukraine last week.
The publication editors also claim that the fact that fighters from this particular brigade will strengthen Avdiivka was not a predetermined issue.
According to the latest data, after four months of fighting, the Russian soldiers broke through the defences of Avdiivka. They came close to the main road through which the Ukrainian garrison, centred on the 110th mechanized brigade, receives supplies to the city.
At that moment, [OSTG "Tavria" Commander Oleksandr] Tarnavskyi had two options. Withdraw the surviving units of the 110th brigade from the open eastern part of the city and consolidate the Ukrainian line in the center of Avdiivka or immediately outside the city, in the west. Or — strengthen the 110th brigade and try to push the much larger Russian forces away from the garrison's supply lines, the media report says.
Journalists also assume that Tarnavskyi could not make the final decision regarding the defence of Avdiivka.
Will the 3rd Airborne Assault Brigade be able to save Avdiivka?
The publication notes that the 3rd Airborne Assault Brigade conducted one of the last victorious battles in the Ukrainian offensive of 2023 and liberated the settlement of Andriivka, which is about 40 km north of Avdiivka.
After this triumph, the AFU formation rested for some time, actively recruited new soldiers, and re-equipped them with American-made M-2 combat vehicles if the rumours were true.
The experience of the brigade's fighters can be a decisive factor in the battles for Avdiivka.
What will happen next in Avdiivka, one can only guess. If the 3rd assault brigade is really transferred to the city, then we should expect a counterattack on the positions of the Russians in the area of Hrushevskyi Street, the journalists predict.
