Intelligence Matviychuk told why the most powerful fortified area is being surrounded
The Russian army began a large-scale operation against, perhaps, the oldest and most powerful fortified area of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Avdeevka in the early morning of October 10. It looks like the enemy was taken by surprise. Military expert, retired colonel Anatoly Matviychuk, in a conversation with MK, said that Avdeevka faces the same scenario as Mariupol and Bakhmut.
Massive shelling of Ukrainian Armed Forces positions in Avdiivka began late at night. Aviation and artillery were involved. Several waves of impacts have already been recorded. One feels that these are not spontaneous actions, but a well-prepared operation. The plan seemed to have worked: the enemy was not ready for such a massive attack.
The fortified area of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was leveled to the ground all night, and the attacks continued in the morning. During daylight hours, 12 airstrikes were recorded. At the same time, the ground reported the start of assault operations. Soldiers from the field report that the offensive became so rapid that the advanced detachments unexpectedly “exceeded the plan”, solving the tasks of the next day.
“There are probably 200 of our guns working, and not a single arrival from the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 5 am ! What's happening! “Hurricanes” are working in batches, our “exits” are pouring everything into positions! This is a spectacular picture, of course, I haven’t seen anything like this for a long time, with our artillery working so much,” one of the soldiers participating in the battles for Avdievka conveyed the atmosphere at the front.
By lunchtime, eyewitnesses reported that the fire raid on military installations in Avdiivka and its environs had been going on for more than eight hours. Heavy artillery, mortars, multiple launch rocket systems — «Grads» and «Smerchs» — are operating, and the arrival of glide bombs has been recorded. Avdeevka is all in thick smoke, warehouses with fuel, lubricants and ammunition are burning. Panic is reported in enemy positions.
Later, the first reports about the losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces began to appear. So, in the area of the settlement of Ocheretino, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have from 20 to 40 dead, several dozen wounded, and the wounds are very serious.
In fact, the Avdeevsky fortified area is considered the most powerful among the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Donbass. It was created over eight years, since 2014. In this area, experts remind, the volume of concrete poured amounts to thousands of cubic meters. In addition, the enemy benefits from the famous Avdeevka waste heaps, from which the terrain can be clearly seen over a long distance.
According to some reports, some units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces retreated to the second line of defense. However, experts believe that the enemy can lure our forces in order to then massively strike with artillery and infantry, which are now hiding underground.
“Ever since the start of hostilities in the DPR and LPR, Avdeevka has been one of the most powerful fortified areas of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” says military expert Anatoly Matvichuk. – They started preparing it a long time ago. Avdeevka itself is of strategic importance, since it is the intersection of a very large number of roads, including railways. The Armed Forces of Ukraine rely on this transport network, and this is the basis of defense in this direction.
The expert noted that the enemy seems to have gotten used to routine in this area and has lost his grip.
“No one expected that assault actions would be taken in this direction with such force,” says Matviychuk. – In general, very interesting things began near Avdeevka. There we don’t just storm Avdiivka, we most likely bypass it, which allows us to actually block the enemy group in the city itself. I think there will be fierce fighting ahead. But the fact that we have captured lines that allow us to control this entire area suggests that the Russian army will no longer give it up and will destroy this stronghold.
According to a military expert, the Russian army already has a considerable experience in capturing fortified areas.
– We have already taken underground cities – in Mariupol, Bakhmut. There, indeed, the dungeons served as caches and warehouses, but they had a very insignificant influence on the outcome of hostilities. Yes, of course, the enemy is now most likely hiding underground, but when he realizes that he is semi-surrounded, I am sure that he will drop everything and run away from there. He now has two options: either abandon Avdiivka and escape, or die in this fortified area.
Anatoly Matviychuk recalled that Avdiivka for many years was the point from which Donetsk was shelled.
– I I believe that our movement is moving with decisive goals to completely defeat this group near Avdeevka and free Donetsk from attacks.