Russian troops gradually advancing in Donbas, Ukrainian forces holding ground on left bank of the Dnipro - ISW

Russian troops have small advances near Avdiivka and Bakhmut, but no significant changes are taking place at the front.

As reported by Ukrinform, this is stated in the report of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Geolocated footage published on December 22 indicates that Russian forces made recent gains south of Spirne (northeast of Bakhmut). Geolocated footage published on December 18 indicates that Russian forces advanced southwest of Bakhmut in the dacha areas near the Chornobylets gardening community and on Klishchiivka’s northwestern outskirts. Geolocated footage published on December 20 also showed that Ukrainian forces conducted positional engagements near the so-called ”Alebastrova” water feature east of Klishchiivka.

Analysts report that Russian troops have recently made minor advances to the southeast and northwest of Avdiivka. Geolocation images released on December 21 and 22 indicate that Russian forces have advanced slightly northeast of Opytne (southwest of Avdiivka) and northeast of Stepove (northwest of Avdiivka). A Russian military blogger claims that the pace of hostilities in the Avdiivka area has not decreased, and that Ukrainian troops continue to counterattack.

It is also noted that as of December 22, Ukrainian forces are holding positions on the eastern (left) bank of the Dnipro in Kherson region, but neither Russian nor Ukrainian forces have confirmed territorial gains in the area. Russian milbloggers claim that fighting is ongoing in and around Krynky, and one milblogger claims that Ukrainian forces currently hold one-third of the settlement.

Analysts note that the Russian Ministry of Defense published a video on December 22 that allegedly shows unspecified units of the Russian Air Force in an unspecified area of the front using drones to deliver water, food, communication equipment, and ammunition to Russian units on the front lines. The Russian military commander claimed that the Russian military uses drones to deliver ammunition and materials to forward units only when delivery by ground transport is impossible.

As Ukrinform reported, Russia’s military death toll in Ukraine as of December 23 has amounted to 352,390. In the past day alone, 1,040 Russian invaders were killed in action.