Russia has focused on eastern Ukraine since failing to advance on Kyiv in the early days of the 20-month-old war and in mid-October launched a push to seize Avdiivka – 20 km (12 miles) from the Russian-held city of Donetsk.
Over the last two days, the occupiers have increased the number of air strikes using guided bombs from Su-35 aircraft," Ukrainian military spokesman Oleksandr Shtupun told national television.
Ukrainian forces, he said, had repelled eight attacks in the past 24 hours on the city, known for its vast coking plant.
He said “not a single building” was intact in the city, with just over 1,500 of its pre-war population of 32,000 remaining and evacuations proceeding.
Ukrainian Commander-in-chief, General Valery Zaluzhnyi, said he had discussed the “hottest sectors” of the front line with Charles Brown, U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff.
Zaluzhnyi this month said the war was entering a phase of attrition, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to dismiss any notion that the conflict was headed towards stalemate.
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