Russian offensive advances on multiple fronts pose dire threat to Ukraine's security and stability

Russia is conducting an offensive on five fronts, placing Ukraine in its most precarious position since the beginning of the war.

Ukraine's ground forces are currently facing their most dangerous situation since the start of full-scale warfare. Presently, Russia is advancing on five fronts, with Ukrainian Armed Forces lacking ammunition and finding it challenging to replenish supplies without assistance from the United States.

The capture of Avdiivka marked the first significant advancement by Russian forces since taking Bachmut in May last year. Ukrainian armed forces are currently running low on ammunition, with the situation on the frontlines becoming increasingly perilous. The Russian army is conducting offensives on five main fronts – around Avdiivka, Marinka, Debaltseve, Kreminna, and Bachmut.

Russian advances on multiple fronts pose dire threat to Ukraine

Moscow's first major success on the battlefield since the occupation of Bachmut On Saturday, the Russians seized Avdiivka, marking Moscow's first major battlefield success since the occupation of Bachmut in May of last year.

However, across the entire 600-mile front, Ukraine is running out of ammunition without renewed assistance from the US military, making it difficult to replenish its depleted forces after two years of brutal fighting, as reported by The New York Times.

The Russian Federation is attacking on five main fronts, encompassing cities along most of the eastern and southern fronts of Ukraine. The newspaper reports that it is unclear how far the Russians will advance beyond Avdiivka and how well the Ukrainian military has built up additional defensive lines. However, additional cities with tens of thousands of civilians are only about 50 kilometers to the west.

Russians may attack Wugledar from the north The devastated Avdiivka occupies a small area. However, for much of the decade, the city complicated Russia's logistical operations. It is only 13 kilometers from Donetsk, which Russia has occupied since 2014.

Russia's offensive engulfs cities across eastern Ukraine

The capture of the destroyed Marinka, as reported by the NYT, has allowed Russian forces to focus on another important stronghold, Wugledar. Last year, the Russians attempted several times to attack Wugledar from the south and suffered catastrophic losses, but now they may attack the city from the north. At the moment, they are advancing through the village of Novomykhailivka.

Russian forces are attempting to undo the gains made by the Ukrainian Armed Forces during last year's counteroffensive, particularly aiming to capture Debaltseve. According to some reports, more troops are concentrated there than on the Avdiivka front.

Russians have seized the initiative toward Bachmut. Chief Commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, stated that the Russians intend to break through the defenses around Czasy Jar, which would expose Kramatorsk to intensified artillery shelling. According to Ukrainian estimates, about 62,000 Russian soldiers are stationed toward Bachmut.

Russia is attacking Ukraine on three fronts. Western assistance is absent Delays in providing military aid to Ukraine are causing Russia to launch offensive actions on multiple fronts. This was noted in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The Russian army is currently advancing on at least three fronts: along the border of the Kharkiv and Luhansk regions, as well as around Avdiivka.

Ukrainian Forces struggle amidst critical shortages and Western aid delays

Delays in Western aid, specifically in artillery ammunition and critical air defense systems, have hindered Ukrainian forces from defending against the Russian offensive in Avdiivka, as stated in the ISW report.

Analysts emphasize that due to critical shortages in equipment supplied by the West and concerns over the complete cessation of American military aid, Ukrainian forces are forced to deploy along the entire front. According to their observations, this has prompted Russian forces to take advantage and launch limited offensive actions near Avdiivka. This applies to the section of the Kharkiv and Luhansk regions' border since January 2024, and the western part of the Zaporizhzhia region in the last 48 hours.

These Russian offensive efforts are likely to prevent Ukrainian forces from preparing personnel and equipment for resuming counteroffensive operations.