Ukrainian officials have reported that bad weather is slowing Russia's military campaign to secure eastern Ukraine and take control of the devastated town of Avdiivka. Officials state that there is not a single intact building in Avdiivka, which is considered a gateway to Donetsk, located 20 kilometers to the east. After two days of storms and snowfall in the south, weather forecasts indicate more rain in the east, making the ground wet and unsuitable for military maneuvers.
Serhiy Tsokhtskiy, a Ukrainian officer in Avdiivka, told official television, "They have started shelling the center of the town from Donetsk. Our battalion is holding its positions, but we do not see any military equipment coming." He added, "The weather is unsuitable, but when the ground freezes due to frost, it will become possible to launch an attack with military equipment."
Another military spokesperson, Volodymyr Vityo, stated that the weather has forced the Russians to make "adjustments" to their plans. Vityo told Espreso TV, "We cannot advance when the ground is like this... The Russians previously brought in reserve forces and sent them to the battlefield. But now, due to the bad weather, such military movements have decreased."
Unofficial Russian accounts of fighting on Tuesday indicated that Russian forces had made some progress north of Avdiivka and that intense fighting is taking place in the area surrounding a coke plant there. Since mid-October, Russian forces have been trying to control Avdiivka, utilizing airstrikes as part of their gradual slow advance in eastern Ukraine.
