"We will not leave Avdiivka by the New Year": the general explained why it is difficult for the enemy to capture the city

Ukrainian defense forces will be able to hold their positions in Avdiivka, Donetsk region, at least until the New Year. They have good defensive positions in this town.

This opinion was expressed by the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine in 2005-2010, Army General Mykola Malomuzh in an exclusive interview with OBOZ.UA. "This is the main goal that Putin personally controls because it is necessary to show that something has been captured by the end of the year. They chose Avdiivka because they believed it could be surrounded and captured. They also believe they will reduce the threat to Donetsk itself," he explained.

According to the general, the enemy is deploying "an unmeasurable number of troops" near Avdiivka, using artillery, missiles, aviation, special operations forces and mercenaries, including those from the Wagner group. At the same time, Malomuzh explained why it is difficult to lay siege to the city even in a situation of the superiority of the occupation army.

"We have strong positions in terms of defense capabilities. This is Avdiivka itself as an infrastructure, the coke plant, which is a powerful fortified area, and partly the industrial zone, which is a natural stronghold in itself. At the same time, the Defense Forces are conducting flank attacks and, possibly, rear attacks to unblock Avdiivka," he explained.

Thus, according to the general's forecasts, "it is almost impossible to capture Avdiivka by December 14 (December 14 is the date when Russia will have a direct line with Putin - Ed.) or by January 1, 2024." "I am talking to our defenders on this section of the frontline and they say that they will not surrender Avdiivka before the New Year," he summarized.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, on December 5, Ukrainian defenders counterattacked the positions of the Russian occupation army in the area of the Avdiivka Coke Plant, which Russia is making great efforts to capture. Ukrainian soldiers forced the occupiers to retreat from two advanced positions.