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Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday (Nov 22) that Russia’s military appeared to be sending fewer troops and less equipment into the battle for the shattered eastern town of Avdiivka, seen as a gateway to the capital city of Donetsk region.
Ukrainian military spokesperson Oleksandr Shtupun said there were fewer ground assaults and fewer air strikes on Avdiivka, a town with a pre-war population of about 32,000 which has been under Russian attack for more than a month. About 1,500 residents remain.
“Russian occupying forces have reduced the number of ground and air attacks, though they still violate the rules of war by shooting at medical teams and evacuation vehicles,” Shtupun told national television. Russia denies such allegations.
“The invaders are not abandoning their plans to surround Avdiivka. Eight attacks were repelled today.”
The head of Avdiivka’s military administration, Vitaliy Barabash, said fighting was gripping an industrial district and Ukrainian forces were holding their positions. Major fortifications were erected after Russian-funded separatists briefly seized Avdiivka in 2014.
“The enemy continues to press on our boys,” he told NV Radio. “The main focus for them is drones. And drones again.”
Ukraine’s military said there also had been an uptick in the number of Russian attacks on nearby Maryinka, a town where control has been disputed for months.
Russia rarely mentions Avdiivka in its daily military updates. The Russian defence ministry’s latest update mentioned that its troops were attacking villages south of Avdiivka, but gave few details.
Reuters was unable to verify accounts from either side.
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