Russian forces have made notable advancements in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), as reported by the Russian Defense Ministry in a statement released on February 17. The statement highlighted a series of successful military operations, including the liberation of Avdeyevka and substantial territorial gains.
According to the ministry, units of the battlegroup Center conducted operations resulting in the full liberation of Avdeyevka, a town in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Furthermore, Russian forces advanced 8.6 kilometres, expanding their control over a total area of 31.75 square kilometres in the region.
The statement also provided details regarding the toll inflicted upon the opposing Ukrainian forces. The ministry claimed that over 1,500 Ukrainian servicemen were lost during the operations, along with significant losses in equipment, including tanks, armoured fighting vehicles, and motor vehicles.
In addition to the liberation of Avdeyevka, Russian forces carried out successful operations in various other areas within the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The statement indicated the infliction of firepower damage on Ukrainian forces in the South Donetsk area, resulted in the loss of more than 190 servicemen and several pieces of military equipment.
Moreover, units of the battlegroup East targeted units of the 58th Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces in the areas of Urozhaynoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Priyutnoye in the Zaporizhzhia Region, and also the 127th brigade in the Territorial Defense inflicting damage on units of the Ukrainian armed forces and the Territorial Defense.
The statement underscored the improvement of Russian military positions at the forefront in the Donetsk area, with Ukrainian forces suffering significant losses in troops and equipment. Ukrainian forces were reported to have lost almost 400 troops and 19 equipment units in the region, including tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and howitzers.
Similar successful operations were conducted in other areas, including Kherson, Krasny Liman, and Kupyansk, resulting in territorial gains and substantial losses for Ukrainian forces. The statement concluded with information on the destruction of Ukrainian drones and the interception of multiple-launch rocket systems by Russian air defence systems.
Overall, the Russian Defense Ministry’s statement provided a thorough overview of the latest military operations in eastern Ukraine, highlighting notable territorial gains and losses inflicted upon Ukrainian forces. The developments emphasize the current intensity of the conflict and the challenges involved in finding a resolution.