Russia launches tactics, sweeps away "second Bakhmut" in fierce battle

Nga tung chiến thuật, càn quét Bakhmut thứ hai trong trận chiến khốc liệt - 1 — Ukrainian soldiers fight in Avdiivka (Photo: Reuters).

It has been several weeks since Russia launched a new offensive in eastern Ukraine. However, Moscow's relentless efforts to take control of the town of Avdiivka are facing resistance from Ukraine's fortified defenses.

Military experts say Russia's fierce fighting in Avdiivka bears similarities to the months-long battle for the city of Bakhmut, where Moscow's tactics led to heavy losses, although Russia eventually gained control of the eastern Ukrainian city.

According to the British Ministry of Defence, Avdiivka is one of a few areas on the vast frontline that has seen the "heaviest ground fighting" in recent days.

Mark Cancian, a retired US Marine Corps colonel and senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the Russian battle for Avdiivka appears to be motivated by the same goal as the fighting in Bakhmut: an opportunity for Russia to seize key areas in Ukraine.

George Barros, a Russia analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, said Avdiivka posed a similar situation for Ukraine as Bakhmut did. If Ukraine lost the city, it would not threaten to completely destroy Kiev’s defenses in the Donetsk region, although Ukraine still did not want Russia to encircle and trap its forces there.

Meanwhile, Russia is also deploying a military strategy in Avdiivka similar to what it did in Bakhmut, where Moscow mobilized significant combat forces in fierce attacks.

In mid-October, shortly after Russia began its assault on Avdiivka, a top White House official said that Moscow was once again deploying “human wave tactics,” a tactic that Russia had used in Bakhmut, in which Russia deployed large numbers of troops for fierce attacks in the “hotbed” of eastern Ukraine.

Nga tung chiến thuật, càn quét Bakhmut thứ hai trong trận chiến khốc liệt - 2 — Location of Bakhmut and Avdiivka (Photo: BBC).

Analysts estimated earlier this month that Russia had lost more combat vehicles in Avdiivka in three weeks than Ukraine had lost in several months of heavy fighting in the south. The British Ministry of Defense said on November 18 that small drones and artillery were playing a “significant role” in the fighting in Avdiivka.

Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi said on November 10 that in the month since Russia launched its offensive on Avdiivka, Russian forces have lost more than 100 tanks, 250 armored vehicles, 50 artillery systems, 7 combat aircraft and suffered about 10,000 casualties. Moscow has not commented on these figures.

The fierce fighting in Avdiivka caused heavy losses for both sides. That is why Avdiivka is called "the second Bakhmut". Russia deployed a flank attack on Avdiivka, but this attack made the Russian army vulnerable to Ukrainian UAVs and firepower.

Apart from the similarities between the two bloody battles, Avdiivka differs from Bakhmut in a number of ways. First of all, the area has long been heavily fortified by Ukraine, thanks to its role as a stronghold in the fighting between Kiev forces and separatists nearly a decade ago.

Avdiivka is also smaller than Bakhmut and more important from a military perspective. While Bakhmut is where Ukraine weakens Russia’s fighting power, Avdiivka lies at the doorstep of Donetsk, a strategic region currently controlled by Moscow.

Maintaining a presence at the gateway to Donetsk is crucial for planning and dividing Kiev’s future operations, and Avdiivka is also seen as a symbol of Ukraine’s frontline resistance to the separatists over the years.

Avdiivka is quite close to the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk, just 23km north and was once an industrial centre.

If Russia gains control of Avdiivka, it could push Ukrainian forces away from the gateway to Donetsk and further towards the administrative borders of Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts.

Currently, Russian forces continue to conduct offensive operations near Avdiivka and this offensive effort does not seem to end anytime soon.

Just as Bakhmut became the focal point of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the battle for Avdiivka seemed to signal a turning point in the war and the upcoming culmination of the counteroffensive campaign that Ukraine is waging.

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