Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a press convention in Odesa, Ukraine October 13, 2023. REUTERS/Nina Liashonok/Record Picture Gain Licensing RightsNov 14 (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mentioned on Tuesday the defence of the shattered jap town of Avdiivka used to be key to Kyiv’s battle plans, with heavy Russian losses there prone to undermine Moscow’s habits of the wider struggle.Zelenskiy’s leader of group of workers, in the meantime, said for the primary time that Ukraine’s forces in southern Kherson area had established a foothold at the jap financial institution of the Dnipro River, doubtlessly opening a brand new line of assault against Crimea.Russian troops deserted the western financial institution a yr in the past and took up positions at the jap facet from which they’ve been continuously shelling cities and villages reverse.Moscow’s forces have considering jap Ukraine since failing to advance on Kyiv within the first days of the February 2022 invasion. They have got taken intention at Avdiivka since mid-October and officers from town, which had a pre-war inhabitants of 32,000, say no longer a unmarried construction stays intact.Zelenskiy, in his nightly video deal with, mentioned Russian attacks within the jap Donetsk area together with Avdiivka have been “very intense”.”Russia is already dropping males and kit close to Avdiivka quicker and on a bigger scale than, as an example, close to Bakhmut,” he mentioned, regarding months of heavy preventing that culminated in Russian forces taking pictures the jap the city of Bakhmut in Would possibly.”Withstanding their force is very tough … The extra Russian forces which can be destroyed close to Avdiivka, the more severe the total scenario might be for the enemy and the total process this battle.”Authentic Russian accounts of preventing within the east made no point out of Avdiivka, even though outstanding Russian battle blogger Rybar mentioned there have been “some headway” in positions across the the city.Russia’s Defence Ministry mentioned Moscow’s forces had repelled 5 assaults round villages close to Bakhmut recaptured by way of Ukraine since Would possibly. It mentioned Ukraine had suffered 300 lifeless and wounded.Reuters may just no longer check accounts from each side.Bakhmut lies about 50 km (31 miles) north of Avdiivka, which is handiest 20 km west of the Russian-held regional capital of Donetsk.Ukrainian army spokesperson Oleksandr Shtupun mentioned preventing used to be heaviest south of Avdiivka.”During the last 3 days, the occupiers have actively used guided aviation bombs in Donetsk area, in particular round Avdiivka,” Shtupun informed nationwide tv. Ukrainian forces, he mentioned, had repelled 18 Russian assaults over the last 24 hours.FOOTHOLD IN THE SOUTHThe acknowledgement by way of Ukrainian presidential leader of group of workers Andriy Yermak that Kyiv’s forces had been established at the Dnipro’s jap financial institution adopted weeks of contradictory studies.”Towards all odds, Ukraine’s Protection Forces have received a foothold at the left (east) financial institution of the Dnipro,” Yermak mentioned in an deal with to the Hudson Institute think-tank in the USA. The remarks had been posted on Zelenskiy’s website online.”Step-by-step, they’re demilitarizing Crimea,” he added, regarding the peninsula Russia seized in 2014. “We’ve coated 70% of the space. And our counteroffensive is growing.”As Ukraine’s four-month-old counteroffensive secures handiest incremental positive factors, Ukrainian officers were wary in describing the actions in their forces at the east financial institution.Russia’s army mentioned closing week its forces had thwarted a Ukrainian try to forge a bridgehead at the jap financial institution and on within sight islands, killing round 500 Ukrainian infantrymen.In a extremely peculiar incident on Monday, two Russian state information companies printed indicators pronouncing Moscow used to be shifting troops to “extra beneficial positions” east of the Dnipro River in Ukraine, handiest to withdraw the tips mins later.Russia has occasionally used an identical phraseology about shifting troops to extra fine positions to explain retreats.Reporting by way of Ron Popeski and Oleksandr Kozhukhar; Modifying by way of Leslie Adler and Stephen CoatesOur Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Consider Rules. Gain Licensing Rights, opens new tab
