Russian losses near Avdiivka amount to about 4,000 soldiers, Defense Minister Umerov tells Pentagon
Russian losses during its attacks on the Ukrainian front-line town of Avdiivka have reached about 4,000 soldiers, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has told U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said in a post on Telegram on Oct. 28.
Umerov updated Austin on the situation at Avdiivka during a phone call between the two defense chiefs, the ministry post said.
Read also: Ongoing Russian attacks by ground and air although defenses holding, Avdiivka governor says
"I have reported enemy losses in the Avdiivka area as of this minute – about 4,000 soldiers," the ministry quoted Umerov as telling Austin.
Umerov also thanked the United States for continuing to cooperate and supply Ukraine with artillery ammunition.
Read also: Russians continue attempts to surround Avdiivka as Ukrainians continue push towards Melitopol
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry noted that further deliveries of ATACMS will allow for more effective strikes on military infrastructure and command posts in the deep rear of the Russian forces in the occupied Ukrainian territories.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that Russian troops had lost at least a brigade trying to surround Avdiivka.
Russia’s offensive on Avdiivka – What is known
Russian troops intensified their offensive on Avdiivka on Oct. 10, launching massive attacks on the Donbas town.
Read also: Ukrainian forces hold firm as Russian activity declines on Avdiyivka frontline
The head of Avdiiivka’s military administration, Vitaliy Barabash, said that Oct. 10 saw “probably the largest attack on the city in the entire full-scale war,” but the situation was under control.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces said that the Russian military wants to surround Avdiivka, and is throwing a large amount of equipment and personnel into battle.
The spokesman of the Joint Press Center of the Tavria Defense Forces, Oleksandr Shtupun, said that the Russian occupation forces are continuing active offensive actions in the area of Avdiivka and consider the town as an opportunity to gain at least some kind of a significant “triumph” and turn the tide of hostilities.
On Oct. 16, Barabash noted that the Russian occupation forces had stopped shelling Avdiivka, but two people had been killed in shelling west of the town.
Read also: Russian offensive on Avdiyivka aims to draw Ukrainian forces from key fronts, HUR says
On the same day, the Ukrainian military’s General Staff reported in an evening summary that the Russians had conducted unsuccessful assaults with the support of aviation in the vicinity of Avdiivka and Pervomaiske, Donetsk Oblast, and the Ukrainian forces had managed to repel seven Russian attacks.
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