Russia manages to maintain offensive momentum and achieve success on the battlefield after taking control of Avdiivka, Newsweek reports. According to the publication, in the absence of Western aid, the superiority of Russian forces over Ukrainian forces and the backwardness of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in strengthening defense lines gives Russia the initiative during the conflict.
Without military aid to Kyiv from the West, the initiative in the conflict in Ukraine will ultimately pass to Russia, writes Newsweek. As the publication notes, after taking control of Avdiivka, the Russian forces maintained their offensive momentum and continue to achieve success on the battlefield.
According to the American Institute for the Study of War, Russian troops are using the tactical opportunities that have opened up as a result of taking control of Avdiivka, and are quite successfully trying to advance as far as possible to the outskirts of the city.
Global Guardian senior analyst Zev Feintuch notes that Russia's success is facilitated by a significant advantage over the Armed Forces "in terms of numbers and weapons on the entire front", as well as the fact that Ukraine is "far behind" in strengthening its defense lines.
According to him, Kyiv's decision not to mobilize the entire young population of Ukraine for demographic and economic reasons placed the responsibility for conducting military operations mainly on the shoulders of people aged 40 to 45. Moreover, with the passage of time, it becomes increasingly difficult for Volodymyr Zelenskyi to convince young people to join the ranks of the Armed Forces.
Feintuch warns that if the House of Representatives does not vote in the near future on the $95 billion aid bill approved by the Senate for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, "there will be more Avdiivka, as Russia will try to use the opportunity to consolidate its successes in Donetsk."
