Anton Kotsukon, photo by Viktor Zalevskiy, Facebook page
Spokesperson of the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade, which is repelling enemy attacks under Avdiivka, Anton Kotsukon, told Unian about Russian losses, the intensity of shelling, and preparations for new assaults.
"The enemy continues its offensive actions. First, they attempt to cut off the logistical corridors through which supplies are delivered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Avdiivka. Second, they aim to encircle the city. The Russians are preparing for new assaults, regrouping, accumulating ammunition, and bringing in additional forces and resources.
The situation is tense, but the soldiers of the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade, along with troops from adjacent units, are holding the front lines with superhuman efforts. It won't be an easy walk in Avdiivka for the Russians, for sure.
After October 13, the enemy has slightly changed its tactics. They began using less armored vehicles and conducted more infantry assaults. These assaults occur daily and involve a small number of personnel, up to a platoon. They use armored vehicles in critical directions where they aim to break through. Additionally, Russian Special Forces (Spetsnaz) are deployed selectively on these same directions.
Continuous shelling persists. Anything that can fire is used: tanks, artillery, mortars, helicopters, and aircraft. It's a constant rain of shells. In some positions, the intensity was so high that for 10-12-15 hours, one couldn't even expose their head from the shelter. There were approximately 115 aviation sorties in a week, and in most of these sorties, guided air bombs were used. These massive air bombs are causing significant destruction in the city.
The Ukrainian defense forces have downed three Russian aircraft and six UAVs at the time of our conversation. It can't be said that these aircraft are operating as freely as they would in their own territory.
Regarding enemy casualties, they've incurred up to 400 killed and around 600 wounded. Additionally, approximately 90 units of armored vehicles (including tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers) have been destroyed. This quantity underscores the intensity of the fierce battles taking place. This armored machinery wasn't meant for parades; each unit actively participated in combat and carried troops or equipment.
The Russian army is conducting military operations using tactics that are similar to what is typically seen in various conflicts. They claim, "we don't abandon our own," but in reality, everyone abandons everyone. At this point, there's no reason to be surprised.
The Russians launched an offensive with forces from three brigades, and in addition to them, they used units from "Storm-Z." In other words, they concentrated significant forces on a relatively small front. However, our soldiers immediately offered resistance. All the brigades on this front met them with everything they had. They couldn't suppress our artillery, mortars, and tanks that provided constant support to our troops. Additionally, some of the enemy's equipment was destroyed by mines, while infantry soldiers used RPGs and anti-tank guided missiles to eliminate other parts of their equipment.
Avdiivka has been a fortified area since 2014. This was not the case in Bakhmut. In Bakhmut, they were stormed by "Wagnerites" who didn't care about their losses. You could say that they don't care about losses here either, but the difference is that, in addition to "Storm-Z," there are regular Russian brigades here. Overall, I believe that it's impossible to draw direct analogies. Each front is unique."
