Russian troops have made confirmed gains on Avdiivka’s northern flank in Donetsk Oblast, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in their latest assessment.
Geolocated footage published on Nov. 3 indicates that Russian forces advanced southwest of Krasnohorivka, some four kiloemetrs north of Avdiivka towards the railway line north of the city.
The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces continued to resist Russian advances near Avdiivka and repelled more than 17 Russian assaults near Stepove (three kilometres north of Avdiivka), Sieverne (six kilometers west of Avdiivka), Tonenke (seven kilometers west of Avdiivka), and Pervomaiske (11 kilometers southwest of Avdiivka).
The Tavria group of forces' spokesperson, Oleksandr Shtupun, later said that there were no active combat engagements near Avdiivka but that Ukrainian forces expect ”the situation to worsen” in the area.
Avdiivka City Military Administration Head Vitaliy Barabash reported that Russian forces are heavily shelling Ukrainian positions in Avdiivka and that infantry battles are ongoing north and south of the settlement. In the meantime, a Russian milblogger claimed that Russian forces made unspecified advances southeast of Avdiivka as of Nov. 3.