Every day since the escalation of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, the British Ministry of Defence publishes its assessment of the situation in the conflict. On October 17, it focuses on a Russian offensive.
On the short message service X, formerly Twitter, the British Ministry of Defence writes: “Russia has most likely begun a coordinated offensive across multiple axes in eastern Ukraine. The Russian forces in Donetsk are conducting a combined arms offensive on the heavily defended city of Avdiivka, which has been on the frontline since 2014. The city is a major obstacle for the Russian forces in achieving their larger goal of taking control over Donetsk Oblast. The Russian attack is likely being conducted with multiple tank battalions attempting to encircle the city. This is likely Russia’s most significant offensive operation since at least January 2023. The entrenched Ukrainian forces have probably stalled the Russian advance so far, with the latter suffering heavy losses in equipment and personnel. Slow progress and high losses have likely led to a change in the Russian narrative, from an offensive to an “active defense”, as a successful clearance of Avdiivka becomes increasingly unlikely in the short term.”
Image: Kremlin.ru, Vladimir Putin 25.11.2022, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (image size modified)
