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Following last year's counteroffensive's failure to yield substantial advances, Ukraine is contemplating a transition to an “active defense“ military position. Rumors circulating among pro-Russian sources suggest that Russian forces have advanced to the south and southwest of the town, although these claims have not been verified. According to one Ukrainian observer, Russian soldiers have pushed into Avdiivka from both the west and the south along the two main streets. That being stated, the ISW declined to verify the allegation. Additionally, it pinpointed battles to the south of Robotyne, west of Donetsk city, and north-west of Bakhmut. According to military analysts associated with Kiev and Moscow, Russian forces are preparing for imminent large-scale operations in the Lyman direction, while offensive activity in the Kupiansk-Lyman and Bakhmut directions has also intensified. The Ukrainian Defenders successfully repelled the Russian assault, which sought to occupy Avdiivka in its entirety. So far, the Kremlin has been unsuccessful in achieving one of its military objectives. Photos captured by underwater drones show Russian military personnel wounded and dead; the current death toll at Avdiivka is estimated to be around 18,000. About half a thousand vehicles were destroyed, including infantry combat vehicles, self-propelled howitzers, main battle tanks, and more. Russia has captured 15–12 kilometers of terrain north of Avdiivka, but they were unable to take the city. Despite regaining control of the entire front line before the year's end, Russian forces have advanced along portions of the front since then. The northeastern front is keeping up its engagement with Ukrainian territory to the north and south of Kupyansk, prompting an intensification of fire. Despite Ukraine's evacuation of several towns, the trajectory of events has remained unchanged thus far. Kupyansk will most likely be the site of Russia's next big offensive operation, following the failure at Avdiivka. Showing some decent results before the Russian presidential elections in March is politically essential. It seemed that, similar to the battle for Bakhmut last year, the military objective took precedence over political considerations, which seemed to be of equal or lesser importance. Roughly 25,000 men lost their lives or were seriously injured during that campaign. Russian forces have recaptured numerous locations that the Ukrainians had tenaciously held in the past around the summer and fall offensive centers of Robotyne and Verbove in Ukraine. Individuals in Ukraine suffer terrible mental health consequences as a result of losing their jobs. From a military perspective, the new defensive strategy makes sense; it aims to delay rather than hold every meter and prioritizes exacting a significant human and material cost on Russia. The coordinated aerial attacks carried out by Russia utilizing drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles have been intensifying in both frequency and severity. The demolition of these Russian targets and facilities serves a dual purpose: first, to instill terror in the civilian population, and second, to halt the armament production of the Ukrainian military. Additionally, they serve as Russian propaganda on television. Russian forces are launching massive infantry “meat assaults“ on Avdiivka city on a regular basis, according to a Ukrainian commander. Russia is currently enrolling over 1,500 freshmen per day. According to Oleksandr Shtupun, the Tavria sector spokesman, Russian troops have somewhat slowed down the pace of their attacks in the Avdiivka sector, but the Defense Forces are getting ready to resume attacks.
