Russian forces expand control in Eastern Ukraine

"Russian forces have occupied 547 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory since the beginning of the year," announced the Russian Minister of Defense. Sergey Shoigu stated that recently, the invaders captured localities, including Novobakhmutivka, Semenivka, and Berdychi, in the Donetsk region.

Many pieces of information provided by Russian state media or Kremlin officials are likely not true. Such reports might be a part of the information war by the Russian Federation.

"Ukrainians were forced to retreat west of these localities," reported the minister during a meeting with senior Russian commanders.

The three localities mentioned by Shoigu are located northwest of Avdiivka, which Russian troops captured in the middle of February. Since then, Ukrainian armed forces have been gradually forced to withdraw west of the city.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled 50 Russian attacks in the direction of Avdiivka during the last 24 hours - reported in Friday’s statement of the General Staff of the Ukrainian army. On Wednesday, the Ukrainian General Staff reported that the Avdiivka area is the site of some of the heaviest fighting at the front.

In the coming weeks, Russians will continue to gain tactical advantage in the direction of Avdiivka, but it is unlikely that in the short term, they will be able to make a deeper, significant operational entry into Ukrainian territory in this area - assessed the American Institute for the Study of War in its analysis at the beginning of this week.