Russia has suffered "thousands of casualties" during intense fighting in the small eastern Ukraine city of Avdiivka, according to the British Ministry of Defense.
The ministry said in an intelligence update released on Tuesday that President Vladimir Putin's forces had made "modest" but significant advances towards the Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant, one of Ukraine's "main defensive positions" in the strategically important city.
Both sides have suffered heavy losses since Moscow launched a renewed offensive on the Donetsk settlement last month. Avdiivka had already been hit with heavy damage and a mass exodus of most of its residents in the 21 months since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.
"In recent days, Russian forces have made further small advances on the northern axis of a pincer movement as part of their attempt to surround the Donbas town of Avdiivka," the U.K. Defense Ministry posted on X, formerly Twitter.
"Since the start of October 2023, Russian forces have moved the front line forwards up to 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) in this area," the post continued. "Although modest, this advance likely represents one of the greatest Russian gains since spring 2023. It has cost the units involved thousands of casualties."
The post goes on to say that Russia is gradually moving its troops closer to the plant, while stressing that "Ukraine remains in control of a corridor of territory approximately 7 kilometers wide, through which it continues to supply the town."
Newsweek reached out for comment to the Russian Ministry of Defense via email on Tuesday.
In an intelligence update published on Monday, the U.K. ministry said that "the last six weeks have likely seen some of the highest Russian casualty rates of the war so far," with most of the losses "caused by Russia's offensive against the Donbas town of Avdiivka."
The Monday update pointed out that the Ukrainian military was claiming Russian troop casualties were averaging 931 a day in November, significantly more than the previous high of 776 a day in March—when Russian and Ukrainian forces were locked in the brutal fight for control of Bakhmut, another small Donetsk city.
Newsweek is unable to independently verify any Russia-Ukraine war casualty figures.
Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Tavriisk Group of Forces, told Newsweek earlier on Tuesday that Russian aircraft had dropped bombs on Avdiivka in "more than 20" airstrikes over the past two days. Moscow is also engaging with Ukrainian forces on land.
The Russian military gaining full control over Avdiivka would be a major setback for Ukraine, which has been fortifying its defenses in the settlement since pro-Russia separatist forces in Donetsk briefly captured the city during an uprising in 2014.
Vitaliy Barabash, the head of Avdiivka's military administration, told Espreso TV on Monday that fighting in the area was "very serious," with Russia "attempting to storm the city from all directions."
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Aila Slisco is a Newsweek night reporter based in New York. Her focus is on reporting national politics, where she ... Read more
