According to the American edition of The New York Times, Ukraine is currently fighting a desperate battle against Russia and is in one of the most dangerous situations since the beginning of the conflict.
According to the publication, Russian forces seek to return the territories they lost as a result of the counteroffensives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2022 and 2023. On Saturday, they captured the strategically important city of Avdiivka, which became the most significant achievement since the capture of Bakhmut in May of last year.
According to the authors of the article, on the entire 1,000-kilometer front, Ukraine is running out of ammunition without increasing American military aid, and it is difficult for the country to replenish its depleted forces after two years of intense fighting.
At the moment, the Russian offensive is divided into five main directions, covering cities and towns on most of the front in eastern and southern Ukraine, such as Avdiyivskyi, Mariinskyi, Robotynskyi, Kreminskyi and Bakhmutskyi.
Avdiyivka, a city located not far from occupied Donetsk, is now under Russian control, The New York Times reports. For many years, this Ukrainian fortress stood against Russia's most important logistical arteries.
The city, which is only about 19 square kilometers in size, is one of the key points on the map of the conflict. Journalists note that the fate of Avdiivka will determine how far Russian troops can advance and how well the Ukrainians were able to build their defense lines. The next large settlements, where tens of thousands of people live, are already less than 50 kilometers west of Avdiivka.
According to the publication, about 50,000 Russian soldiers took part in the battles for the city. Despite significant losses among the Russian forces, which amount to tens of thousands of wounded or dead, Russia steadily replenishes its ranks, even using convicts.
The publication's experts note that even with the stabilization of the front lines after the capture of Avdiyivka, its loss will allow Russian forces to move troops and equipment more efficiently.
Maryinka, another front-line town in Ukraine, is now under the control of Russian forces, The New York Times reports. This became possible last month when Russian forces captured the strategically important city, which now serves as a base for their attacks.
"There is little left of Maryinka after two years of bombing and fighting. But the capture of this city allowed the Russians to turn their attention to the south and to another key point - Ugledar," the authors of the article note.
Russian forces already tried to attack Ugledar from the south last year and suffered heavy losses, including a catastrophic defeat in one of the biggest tank battles of the war. Now that Maryinka is under Russian control, their attacks are directed from the north through the village of Novomykhailivka.
Ukrainian officials have reported that Russia is keeping about 40,000 people in the nearby Mariupol region for a possible attack from the south. At the same time, soldiers stationed in the Vugledar area believe that the fall of Maryinka is likely to free up Russian forces to mount an attack from the north.
The publication emphasizes that the Kremlin is actively working to restore its positions in the Robotyn region of the Zaporizhzhia region in order to regain control over the territories that were liberated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine during last year's counteroffensive. According to the spokesman of the "Tavria" military group, Dmytro Lykhovy, the Russian Federation has deployed even more forces in this area than in Avdiivka.
"It seems that the Russians have set themselves the goal of achieving some kind of success through an assault in this area, just as they did in Avdiivka," the military said.
According to the authors of the article, Russia is trying to advance from Kreminnaya in order to regain control over the territories they lost at the end of 2022.
“Last year, the area was under constant tension as the territory changed hands during intense fighting that took place in the forest belts near the front line in this direction. Now, despite Ukraine's fierce resistance, Russia is beginning to move forward again, albeit slowly."
According to the mentioned publication, Russian troops are advancing in two directions from Kreminnaya: north towards Kupyansk and south towards Lyman.
The spokesman for the Ground Forces, Ilya Yevlash, said that Russia has been keeping about 110,000 troops in the area for several months.
Russian troops captured Bakhmut back in May of last year, and now, according to the publication, they are again increasing the pressure in this direction, the advantage is on their side.
General Oleksandr Syrskyi, recently appointed commander of Ukrainian forces, recently announced that the Russians are planning to break through Ukraine's defenses near Chasovoy Yar. This will allow them to gain control over strategically important heights in the area and expose the city of Kramatorsk to increased artillery fire.
According to Ukraine's estimates, about 62,000 Russian troops are stationed in the direction of Bakhmut.
Syrsky emphasized that the situation in this area is tense and requires constant monitoring and prompt response on the ground.
