Russia attacks Avdiivka ‘from all directions,’ says Kyiv

Russian forces launch a third wave of attacks on the town of Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine, systematically shelling the industrial center, according to the mayor.

The town, facing a near siege near Russia-controlled Donetsk, has been under intense assault for over a month.

The mayor, Vitaliy Barabash, stated, "The third wave (of attacks) has begun. They are attacking from all sides, from the south and the north, as they did before. They are targeting the industrial area."

Avdiivka has been on the front lines since 2014 and is part of the Donetsk region that the Kremlin annexed along with three other areas.

Barabash told official media, "They are attacking from all directions, using a lot of infantry elements."

He added that Russian forces targeted Avdiivka with precision airstrikes and cluster munitions, carrying out 30 to 40 "significant" strikes every day.

Barabash confirmed that 1,350 people remain in the town, which had a population of about 30,000 before the war, and noted the evacuation of 102 people in the past week.

AFP