AFU gains new ground in Avdiivka sector and successfully repels occupants' attempts to develop offensive - Tarnavskyi

In the Avdiivka sector (Donetsk region), Ukraine's defenders have consolidated their positions on new defense lines. Over the past day (February 18), the soldiers repelled five attacks by Russian invaders in the areas of Novobakhmutivka, Lastochkyne and Pervomaiske.

This was reported by the commander of the Tavria operational and strategic group of troops Oleksandr Tarnavskyi in his report. Ukrainian soldiers are "successfully repelling attempts by Russian occupants to develop an offensive" in the Avdiivka sector, the brigadier general said on his Telegram channel.

In the Marinka sector, our Heroes continue to hold back the invaders in the areas of Heorhiivka, Peremoha and Novomykhailivka. There, the Russian army, supported by aviation, tried to break through our defense 18 times.

In the Zaporizhzhia sector, the enemy tried to attack Ukrainian positions near the village of Robotyne 10 times. Here, the Russians returned to the tactics of small assault groups involving several units of armored vehicles.

"These attempts are being stopped, and the enemy is being destroyed on the outskirts of Robotyne," Tarnavskyi said,

In total, on February 18, the Russian army carried out 33 assault operations, 803 artillery attacks, and 26 air strikes in the area of responsibility of the Tavria grouping of troops.

Losses of the Russian Armed Forces in the operational area of the above-mentioned grouping over the past day amounted to 624 occupants, four tanks, 21 armored combat vehicles, four artillery systems, seven vehicles, and one unit of special equipment: an UR-77 Meteorite (Zmey Gorynych) demining unit.

The Defense Forces also destroyed one enemy ammunition depot and 239 UAVs of various types.

Earlier, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi noted that Russian troops did not stop conducting offensive operations after the occupation of Avdiivka. The occupiers are trying to attack the settlements to the west of Avdiivka.

According to Serhii Tsehotskyi, an officer of the 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade named after Yakov Handziuk, Avdiivka has fully fulfilled its mission, and the decision to withdraw Ukrainian troops from the city was a right one.

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