Ukrainian Forces advance near Avdiivka, heavy fighting ongoing near coke plant and in industrial area – ISW

Ukrainian troops are engaging the Russian occupying forces south of the village of Stepove, with fierce fighting raging near the coke plant and industrial area, as reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Source: ISW

Details: The report indicated that Ukrainian forces had recently launched a counterattack near the town of Avdiivka and had recovered the ground they had lost as of 1 December.

Geolocated footage released on 4 December revealed that Ukrainian forces were charging at Russian positions in a forested area south of Stepove.

At the same time, the Russian army pursued offensive operations on the Avdiivka front on 4 December and made confirmed advances.

Geolocation footage released on 4 December indicated that Russian troops had advanced around a water reservoir north of Avdiivka.

Furthermore, additional geolocation imagery released on 4 December revealed that Russian troops had pushed forward near Stepove (5 km northwest of Avdiivka).

Russian military bloggers (milbloggers) claimed that the Russian army had consolidated control over positions in and around Stepove. One of them claimed that the Russians had advanced 600 metres into the forest belt southeast of Stepove.

Russian milbloggers also claimed that heavy fighting was taking place near the Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant and in the industrial zone (southeast of Avdiivka).

The Russians claimed that the images supposedly featured soldiers of the Kozma Minin volunteer tank battalion based in the city of Nizhny Novgorod (Russia) operating in the Avdiivka industrial zone.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian General Staff reported unsuccessful Russian offensives east of the settlements of Novokalynove (10 km northwest of Avdiivka) and Novobakhmutivka (10 km north-east of Avdiivka), as well as near Avdiivka itself, Stepove, Pivnichne (5 km west of Avdiivka) and Pervomaiske (10 km south-west of Avdiivka).

To quote the ISW’s key takeaways on 4 December:

• Russia continues to reckon with the economic ramifications of labour shortages partially resulting from the war in Ukraine.
• Ukraine's Western partners continue efforts to provide Ukraine with military and economic support.
• Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko discussed deepening Belarusian-Chinese relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China on 4 December.
• Kremlin-backed United Russia State Duma deputies and Federation Council senators proposed a bill to introduce criminal punishments for leaking personal data, likely as part of ongoing efforts to control the Russian information space ahead of the March 2024 Russian presidential elections.
• The Kremlin likely continues efforts to insert itself into power vacuums in several African countries as Wagner Group elements continue to operate in the Central African Republic (CAR).
• Voronezh Oblast Governor Alexander Gusev confirmed on 4 December the death of Russian 14th Army Corps Deputy Commander Major General Vladimir Zavadsky in Ukraine.
• Russian forces conducted offensive operations along the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, near Avdiivka, west and southwest of Donetsk City, in the Donetsk-Zaporizhzhia Oblast border area, and in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast and advanced in some areas on 4 December.
• Select Russian Duma deputies appear to be at odds over the issue of extending Russian conscript service.
• Russian Presidential Administration Head for Domestic Policy Andrei Yarin reportedly visited occupied Ukraine as part of ongoing efforts to legitimise Russian authority over occupied Ukraine ahead of the March 2024 Russian presidential election.

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