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Battle of Avdiivka
Part of the war in Donbas, Battle of Donbas, eastern Ukraine offensive and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
File:Battle of Avdiivka.jpg A church destroyed in Avdiivka on 21 February
Date 20 February 2022 – present (2 years and 11 months) Location Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine Status Ongoing
Belligerents
Donetsk PR  Russia	Ukraine
Commanders and leaders
Denis Sinenkov Sergey Agranovich †	Dzhemil Izmailov Artem Murakhovskyi †
Units involved
Sparta Battalion Middle Eastern Foreign volunteers	72nd Mechanized Brigade Azov Battalion Foreign mercenaries
Casualties and losses
Heavy	Per DPR: 185+ killed (since 10 June) Per Ukraine: 5 killed (22 March only)
18+ civilians killed, 31+ wounded

The battle of Avdiivka is an ongoing military engagement between the Russian Armed Forces and Donbas Separatist Forces on one side and the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the other. It is being fought over the town of Avdiivka, located in the Donbas region. Fighting started when violence erupted again in the Donbas on 21 February, when Russian president Vladimir Putin recognized the Donetsk People's Republic. Days later, when Russia invaded Ukraine, Avdiivka was among the first places to be attacked.

Background

Avdiivka has been at the front lines of the Russo-Ukrainian War since 2015. It was the site of the 2017 battle of Avdiivka, resulting in the destruction of the town, though Ukrainian forces still held it.

Battle

Early fighting (21–24 February)

On 21 February 2022, it was reported that Russian troops were aiding the separatists in Avdiivka.

Official Russian entry into the battle (24 February – 17 April)

When Russia officially started its invasion of Ukraine, Avdiivka was one of its main targets. On 13 March, Russian forces bombed the Avdiivka Coke Plant and it was reported on 25 March that Artem Murakhovskyi, a commander of the Azov Battalion, was killed in Avdiivka.

Escalation (18 April – present)

On 18 April, Russia renewed its invasion on Eastern Ukraine by heavily shelling and attacking Avdiivka. Around 2,000 of Avdiivka's residents were forced to flee underground.

During the battle, use of white phosphorus munitions by Russian forces was reported several times. Governor of Donetsk Oblast Pavlo Kyrylenko reported a phosphorus attack on the city industrial zone on 26 March, on the area of the coking plant on 26 April, and on the city center, causing several fires, the next day. On 18 May, Avdiivka 1st school was destroyed by a Russian attack with phosphorus munitions. On 29 April, videos of the Russian army shelling Ukrainian forces in Avdiivka with a thermobaric weapon were published.

On May 26, Ukraine's General Staff reported that Russian forces were advancing through Avdiivka, capturing many areas in the city.

On 1 June, the DPR took control of a major highway. On 6 June, the DPR took territory near Kamenka. On 12 June, Russia again bombed the Avdiivka Coke Plant. School No. 6 was destroyed on 21 June, being the third school destroyed in Avdiivka. On 24 June, Russian forces fired on Avdiivka.

Russian forces later captured Novoselivka Druha on 4 July, which is 10km northeast of Avdiivka, which they did to encircle the city. On 7 July, Russian forces shelled Avdiivka for 24 hours. They hit infrastructure, a hospital, residential buildings, a bus depot, and the Avdiivka Coke Plant.

On 18 July, the DPR claimed it had "half-surrounded" Avdiivka, having blocked two of the roads leading into the town.

Casualties

50 civilians have been killed and wounded in the city since the start of the invasion.

On 8 April, one person was killed and another injured by Russian shelling. On 13 April, one civilian was killed and 12 were wounded in Avdiivka. On 2 May, three civilians were killed due to Russian bombardment. On 3 May 2022, according to a news article on Dutch outlet Nos.nl, at least 10 people died and 15 more were injured during an attack on a coking plant. Allegedly, the attack took place after the workers had finished work and were waiting for the bus. On 23 May, Russian shelling and artillery bombarded Avdiivka all night long. Three civilians were injured and 20 houses as well as a kindergarten were damaged severely. On 30 May, one civilian was killed during a street fight in Avdiivka. 2 civilians were killed on June 12. On 5 July, 2 civilians were killed in Avdiivka.One civilian was killed and two wounded on 7 July.

The Donetsk People's Republic has claimed to have killed 185+ Ukrainian troops in the Avdiivka region since 10 June alone.

Notes

1. from 21 February alleged, officially from 24 February

References

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2. Lapsakov, Artur (21 April 2022). "Глава ДНР сообщил о гибели командира разведроты батальона "Спарта"". life.ru (in Russian).
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29. "Pro-Russian fighters reportedly seize new turf during advance on Avdiivka". Newsweek. 6 June 2022.
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35. "The DPR said that the forces of the republic blocked the road Avdeevka - Konstantinovka". tass.ru. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
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39. "Explosies en stroomuitval in Lviv • VN: eerste evacués uit Azovstal in Zaporizja". nos.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-05-07.
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43. "Five civilians killed in Russian shelling in Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast". 6 July 2022.
44. "Enemy shelled Avdiivka more than 10 times in past day. Casualties reported".

• Battles of the war in Donbas
• Battles of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
• Battles involving the Donetsk People's Republic
• February 2022 events in Ukraine
• March 2022 events in Ukraine
• April 2022 events in Ukraine
• May 2022 events in Ukraine
• June 2022 events in Ukraine
• Eastern Ukraine offensive
• History of Donetsk Oblast
• Avdiivka