Russia wants to seize the Avdiivka moment. President Zelensky visited Ukrainian soldiers in Kupyansk who are under pressure.
The smoking chimneys of the Avdiivka coke plant used to be visible from afar on the flat landscape of Donbass. The huge factory was the reason why thousands of workers settled in the city in the 1960s. The coke oven was the pride and livelihood of many residents. This was before the relentless Russian attacks on the city began. If smoke rose from the site, it was due to the detonation of bombs, rockets and artillery shells. The huge area, made up of several factories, is a landscape of ruins.
Russia announced on Monday that after taking Avdiivka, the army now also controls the coking plant further northwest. The Russian Defense Ministry announced in a statement that Russian flags were placed on administrative buildings. Initially there was no confirmation of this from the Ukrainian side. Russian military blog Rybar spoke of “nests of resistance” at the factory site.
According to Ukrainian sources, captured Ukrainian soldiers were shot by the Russian army. Such reports referred to video footage recorded at the military position called “Zenit” in Avdiivka. Russian Telegram channels, however, claimed that many enemy soldiers were left behind when Ukraine withdrew.
Battles near Robotyne Village
Although there was relative calm in Avdiivka following the Ukrainian withdrawal last week, Russia launched mass attacks against several other sectors of the front. Apparently they want to take advantage of the moment of success in Avdiywka and put even more pressure on the Ukrainian units, which are suffering from a lack of ammunition, at this critical moment.
Particularly intense fighting has been taking place since Sunday in the village of Robotyne, also a rubble field, in the southern region of Zaporizhia. Ukraine recaptured the village from the Russians in a hard-fought battle as part of the summer counteroffensive. According to the Telegram channel Rybar, the Russian army has now established itself in the south of the village. Another military blog loyal to Putin, however, noted difficulties in capturing the enemy's “well-organized defense points.”
Strengthen combat morale
Reports of success from the Russian side should be viewed with caution. Previous Russian attacks have never had quick success. Thanks to the constant use of men and materials, they only gradually began to have an impact. There were fighting near the village of Marynka, west of Donetsk, in the Kherson region and in the northern part, near Kupyansk. Soldiers in Kupyansk received a high-ranking visit on Monday: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited positions in the region. Visits of this type to the front are intended to strengthen combat morale and show that Kiev does not forget its men.
A photo published by the Ukrainian President's Office shows Zelenskiy visiting units at the front near Kupyansk. APA / AFP / Brochure