After the capture of Avdiivka on February 17, Russian troops not only did not stop their offensive operations, but also significantly intensified them. Within 2 weeks, they were able to take control of a number of villages on the outskirts of Avdiivka and advance almost 7 km west.
The Russian authorities are trying to make the most of the period while the Ukrainian army is experiencing an "ammunition famine" due to the delay in the supply of ammunition from Western allies.
The withdrawal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces garrison from Avdiivka took place, according to the commander of the Tavria Special Forces, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, according to “a plan developed taking into account various scenarios and possible changes in the operational situation.” Ukrainian soldiers were to take up positions on the prepared second line of defense.
However, the rapid Russian advance on the western outskirts of Avdiivka showed that these defensive lines were clearly not properly prepared. The Russians were able to take control of the villages of Severne, Stepove, and Lastochkine, approximately 2-3 km west of Avdiivka, within a few days.
As of February 26-27, Commander Tarnavsky reported a significant increase in the Russians' offensive capabilities west of Avdiivka and that the defense line in this area had been "stabilized" in the Tonenke - Orlivka - Berdychi area. That is, 6 - 7 km from the captured city.
Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesman for the Tavria Regional State Defense Command, explained that it is in the area of these villages that a cascade of reservoirs is located, which should become an obstacle to the further movement of the Russian army.
“Miscalculations” of commanders?
PHOTO BY DEEPSTATE Photo caption: After capturing Avdiivka, the Russians were able to rapidly advance westward to the outskirts of Orlivka. They can be held back by the cascade of reservoirs located behind this village.
However, on February 29, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky, was forced to intervene in the situation around Avdiivka.
He reported that he had arrived at the military units holding the defense in the Avdiivka and Kurakhivka directions. The commander called the situation there difficult.
According to him, the Russian army is currently storming the settlements of Tonenke, Orlivka, Semenivka, Berdychi, and Krasnohorivka. As for the latter, it is a town 10 km west of Donetsk, between Kurakhove and Avdiivka.
Russian pro-war Telegram channels reported on February 27 that Russian troops had already entered Krasnohorivka. The Ukrainian 3rd Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed this, but stressed that the enemy there was subsequently destroyed and Krasnohorivka was cleared.
Brigade representative Volodymyr Fokin, in a comment to NV, emphasized that the fighting for Krasnohorivka was very fierce and the Russians did not want to surrender. At the same time, Fokin pointed out that in general, in that direction, the Russians now have a huge advantage in ammunition and people.
In turn, Commander-in-Chief Syrsky stated that the Russians had already entered Orlivka and were trying to gain a foothold, but they were managed to be driven out of the settlement.
“Our brigades are fighting fierce battles with superior enemy forces,” the commander noted. “The enemy is suffering significant losses in manpower and equipment, but stubbornly continues to attack our positions, sometimes succeeding in certain areas.”.
At the same time, Syrsky emphasized that he had discovered "miscalculations" in the actions of individual Ukrainian commanders.
"During the work, certain miscalculations were revealed in the management of the situation and assessment of the enemy by individual commanders, which directly affected the stability of the defense in certain areas.".
The commander-in-chief did not explain what exactly he meant, but emphasized that he had taken measures to "correct the situation on the spot.".
In particular, they decided to allocate additional resources of ammunition and material resources, as well as the necessary reserves.
Previously, military experts and military correspondent Yuriy Butusov pointed out that the defensive lines west of Avdiivka were not prepared for defense.
By rapidly moving west, the Russian armed forces apparently intend to improve their tactical position and approach the strategically important cities in the Donetsk region - Selydovoye and Kurakhovoye, through which the logistical supply routes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine pass.
As of the end of February, Kurakhove is located only 10 km from the front line, Selidove - 20 km.
