One in 10 Russian equipment losses since Kyiv launched a counteroffensive in the summer occurred in the past 10 days, coinciding with intensifying clashes in the war-torn town of Avdiivka, according to analysis by an investigative outlet.
Moscow's forces lost 201 pieces of equipment in the past 10 days, and 2,156 units of equipment since Ukraine's counteroffensive began in early June, reported Agentstvo, a Russian investigative site launched in 2021, citing data from Dutch open-source intelligence defense analysis website Oryx.
Of those losses, Russia lost 42 tanks, 49 infantry fighting vehicles and 10 armored personnel carriers in the past 10 days. Since June 1, Russia has lost 401 tanks, 515 infantry fighting vehicles, and 56 armored personnel carriers.
Heavy clashes have been reported as Moscow attempts to seize the town of Avdiivka in Ukraine's Donetsk region. It has been the target of Russian aggression since 2014, when Putin illegally annexed the southern Crimean peninsula from Ukraine.
Moscow's forces, beginning on October 10, mounted their biggest offensive in months in an attempt to capture Avdiivka, pouring in thousands of troops, tanks and armored vehicles.
The push came more than four months into Ukraine's counteroffensive, which is aimed at recapturing the territory seized by Russian forces in President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
On Sunday, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said Kyiv repelled nearly 20 Russian attacks around Avdiivka.
Newsweek could not independently verify the figures from Oryx and has contacted Russia's Defense Ministry for comment via email.
Andriy Yusov, spokesperson for the Ukraine Defense Ministry's Intelligence Directorate, told the Espreso TV news outlet over the weekend that Avdiivka holds strategic significance.
"This is not the first instance the occupying forces have boosted tension with declarations of taking over all of Donetsk and Luhansk... Their plans have failed, the deadlines pushed back. This is just another episode of tension," said Yusov.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has described the situation in Avdiivka as "particularly tough."
"Every day, we need results for Ukraine, to withstand Russian assaults, to eliminate occupiers, to move forward," Zelensky said Sunday. "Whether it's a kilometer or 500 meters, but forward, every day."
The Institute for the Study of War think tank said on Sunday that Russian forces are funneling additional forces to the Avdiivka front, despite ongoing challenges with frontal mechanized assaults and the failure of a renewed push on October 19 and 20.
The U.S.-based think tank cited Ukrainian sources as saying that Russian forces continue to transfer personnel to the Avdiivka direction to support offensive efforts, despite heavy losses.
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About the writer
Isabel van Brugen is a Newsweek Reporter based in Kuala Lumpur. Her current focus is on the Russia-Ukraine war, and she has covered human rights issues in previous roles. Isabel joined Newsweek in 2021 and had previously worked with news outlets including the Daily Express, The Times, Harper's BAZAAR, and Grazia. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism at City, University of London, and a BA in Russian language at QMUL. Languages: English, Russian
You can get in touch with Isabel by emailing i.vanbrugen@newsweek.com
Twitter handle: @isabelvanbrugen
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