Speaking on Saturday, Shtupun, who represents the Ukrainian forces in the Tavria region (encompassing Zaporizhzhia and the western part of Donetsk), highlighted the preparations being made in anticipation of this attack.
"We expect the third wave of the offensive - an attempt to encircle Avdiyivka. We are waiting, we are preparing," Shtupun stated, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine.
He also mentioned that the Russian forces had incurred significant losses in the Tavria, with 456 troops lost in the past day.
Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, the commander of the group in the Tavria, confirmed that Ukrainian troops in the Avdiivka area are maintaining a defensive position.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) confirmed that Russian forces achieved some progress on Friday in the industrial zone southeast of Avdiivka, a strategic location for advancing into the neighboring, occupied Donetsk.
The current Russian offensive on Avdiivka has been highlighted by Ukrainian authorities and media as the largest since the start of the war and even since the onset of hostilities in Donbas in 2014.
(jh)
Source: PAP