Russia sending more forces in attempt to capture eastern Ukraine city

Russian forces have launched a renewed offensive to take a city in eastern Ukraine, with Moscow pouring more troops into the battle despite limited gains.

Russia began its major push on Avdiivka, a city located in the eastern Donetsk region that is heavily defended by Ukrainian forces, toward the end of last week.

It’s now launched a combined arms offensive on the embattled city, deploying air power and ground vehicles to support infantry.

The effort is the most significant Russian offensive since the beginning of the year, according to an intelligence update from the U.K. Ministry of Defense.

British intelligence officials estimated that Russia has deployed multiple armored battalions to envelop the town but said Moscow so far failed to make any progress and is “sustaining heavy equipment and personnel losses.”

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said Tuesday that Ukrainian troops repelled seven attacks Monday and another five attacks Tuesday.

Russia has largely been on the defensive since Ukraine launched a major counteroffensive over the summer in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, along with a counterattack around the destroyed city of Bakhmut.

But Ukraine has struggled to make any significant progress in the operation. In recent months, Russia has also launched an attack in the northeast toward the cities of Kupiansk and Lyman.

Avdiivka is a town that Russian forces have sought to control for most of the year after being driven into the far east of Ukraine in 2022.

Russian bloggers have reported incremental advances for Russian troops around Avdiivka. But they have noted the Russians are making progress around the western and southern outskirts of the city, which could indicate a plan to encircle Ukrainian forces.