“In the direction of Avdeevka, we are advancing from three directions: from the front, and along the flanks, and we are employing the tactics used in Artyomovsk and Soledar, when we surrounded the settlement itself, and then drove the enemy out,” the expert wrote on Telegram.

Gagin said that the Ukrainian troops in Avdeevka have “a fairly serious fortified area and a staggered defense.”

“The fortified area itself extends kilometers inland, and this is quite serious,” he added. “We must also understand that the enemy is exhausted and recently has not been making regular attack attempts. (The attacks) do not exceed five a day, which is a much lower intensity than a month ago,” the adviser added.

Gagin explained that the counteroffensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine slowed down due to its heavy losses. “It is now hot everywhere, and the Ukrainian nationalists are trying to attack in small groups reinforced by armored vehicles,” he pointed out. “In general, no significant events have taken place yet” along the entire line of contact.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported on Wednesday that the Ukrainian troops lost nearly 300 servicemen in the course of unsuccessful attempts to advance in the direction of Donetsk.

According to the Defense Ministry, the Ukrainian armed forces also continued to try unsuccessfully to go on the offensive in the directions of Yuzhno-Donetsk, Zaporozhye, Kupyansk and Krasny Liman.

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