UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 596 - OCTOBER 10, 2023

The Russian armed forces began locally limited offensive operations in the area of Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast and southwest of Orikhiv in the western Zaporizhzhia Oblast on October 9, aiming to likely push Ukrainian forces out of the area of Robitne.

The Russian armed forces intensified their offensive operations northwest of Avdiivka near Ocheretne, Tonenke, and Berdychev, as well as southwest of Avdiivka along the Wodian-Opytne line. Russian forces also attacked southwest of Orikhiv along the Piatykhatky-Zherebyanky line, and Russian military bloggers claimed that Russian forces had advanced up to two kilometers in that area. The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed that up to three Russian battalions had carried out an attack towards Avdiivka, and ISW has observed footage of fighting in this area, but ISW has not yet found confirmation of these alleged Russian advances. Russian military bloggers largely depict the operations in the area of Avdiivka as significant offensive efforts aimed at encircling the Ukrainian troops in Avdiivka and capturing the city. A successful encirclement of Avdiivka, one of the most heavily fortified areas on the front line in the Donetsk area, would likely require more forces than Russia currently has available for the efforts around the city of Avdiivka-Donetsk.

The complete Russian Offensive Update 596 is available directly from UNDERSTANDING WAR.

UNDERSTANDING WAR