i suspect that the ukrainians will be able to hold out and continue to bleed russian forces. moscow s campaign to capture avdiivka may be less about battlefield strategy and more about securing a propaganda prize back in russia. russia s forces have been on avdiivka s doorstep for almost a decade, since first taking over nearby territory in 2014. since then, ukraine s long standing fortifications have, so far, held back a total russian breakthrough. but a new wave of ground assaults appears imminent, with reports of 40,000 russian soldiers massed on three sides of the town. and this threatens to turn avdiivka into another bakhmut that nearby city turned battleground, bombarded into oblivion. more battle hardened soldier than bureaucrat, this is the town s mayor, vitaliy barabash. to break the deadlock, barabash is among many who want more firepower from the west. until then, ukrainians like ihor will continue to feel the brunt of russia s onslaught. meanwhile, emergency wor
Russian occupation shatters any illusions of Avdiivka s liberation yahoo.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from yahoo.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.