Russian forces switch to offensive in Marinka and Avdiivka breaking through Ukrainian positions – deputy defense minister

While Ukrainian forces are making steady progress in the Bakhmut direction and advancing in the south, the situation has escalated near eastern Mariinka and Avdiivka.

The Russian army has increased the number of attacks and is trying to storm through Ukraine's defenses, says Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar. The situation is "quite dynamic," she notes.

Mentioning the liberated settlements, for example, it is clear that the Russians do not want to give up so easily. For example, Robotyne, which has been taken under control, but there are still serious battles going on around the town. At the same time, we see progress. Speaking of the east, the situation in Marinka and Avdiivka has escalated. The Russians have increased the number of attacks there, moreover, they have started full-fledged assaults.

Despite all the efforts, the enemy cannot capture both Marinka and Avdiivka. The intensity of hostilities in the Kupiansk-Lyman direction is decreasing.

The number of hostilities there has significantly decreased. There were days when there was only artillery shelling, but the actual number of clashes was reduced. This does not mean that the enemy has given up on his plans or retreated. Russian forces are simply gathering their forces, preparing, and are not abandoning their tasks to reach Kupiansk, Donetsk and Luhansk regions. 

On the Bakhmut front, Ukraine's forces are "consistently making gains."