Ukraine reinforces 'critical' frontline town of Avdiivka
The Hindu
Kyiv rushes soldiers to Avdiivka as situation with Russian forces becomes critical, while both sides escalate attacks.
Ukraine has rushed soldiers to the embattled eastern town of Avdiivka, surrounded on three sides by Russian forces, where the military said the situation was "extremely critical".
The announcement of reinforcements came as a Ukrainian rocket strike on the Russian border city of Belgorod killed at least six persons, officials there said.
Both sides are escalating aerial attacks as the war nears the end of its second year. Ukraine's position around Avdiivka in the eastern Donetsk region has grown increasingly precarious.
"The Third Separate Assault Brigade confirms that it was urgently redeployed to strengthen Ukrainian troops in the Avdiivka area," the brigade said in a Telegram post.
It described the situation as "extremely critical," "threatening" and "unstable", adding that Russia was "throwing new forces and resources into the town".
Russian troops, who have managed to almost encircle the town through a series of bloody attacks launched last year, have made progress in recent days.
Bringing in supplies and evacuating the few hundred civilians who remained was "complicated," a Ukrainian army spokesman said Thursday.