Battle of Avdiivka

Part of the War in Donbass

Date

29 January 2017 – 4 February 2017
(6 days)

Location

Avdiivka, Ukraine

Result

Ceasefire

Pro-Ukrainian forces maintain and bolster a foothold on approach to Donetsk
Low level fighting east/southeast of Avdiivka continues

Belligerents

Ukraine

Donetsk People's Republic

Commanders and leaders

Unknown

Ivan Balakay "the Greek" †
(Vostok Batallion commander)
Mikhail Tolstykh (WIA)
(Somali Batallion commander)
"Konsul" †
(Somali Batallion mechanised brigade commander)

Units involved

Ukrainian Ground Forces

72nd Mechanized Brigade

Donetsk People's Militia

Casualties and losses

14 killed, 70+ wounded

18–30 killed, 26 wounded, 1 captured

14 civilians killed, 5 injured

Ceasefire

Ukrainian Ground Forces

The Battle of Avdiivka was a battle in the War in Donbass near Avdiivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine. It marked the deadliest fighting in the ongoing War in Donbass in weeks. According to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine the battle was of a level of fighting in Ukraine that had not been seen since 2014–15.

On 21 July 2014, during the War in Donbass, Ukrainian forces recaptured Avdiivka from pro-Russian separatists.

Avdiivka is located only 6 km (3.7 mi) north of Donetsk. Between Donetsk and Avdiivka stretches Highway M04 which circles Donetsk around its north side and is part of the European route 50. In the area, Highway M04 has a highway interchange, named "Yasynuvatska rozvyazka". Also, located between Avdiivka and Donetsk is a mine, "Butivka-Donetska".

Until March 2016, the "Industrial Zone" (located in the eastern part of Avdiivka) was a buffer zone between the Donetsk People's Republic-controlled territories and the Ukrainian army. In March 2016, the Ukrainian army set up its fortifications in the "Industrial Zone". This meant that the pro-Russian separatists no longer had full control of the highway that united their controlled cities of Donetsk and Horlivka and that it became more difficult for them to fire at Avdiivka with weapons not prohibited by the Minsk II agreement. Since March 2016 fighting for Avdiivka's "Industrial Zone" greatly intensified.

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Wikipedia