The unit known as an assault brigade, built around the Azov battalion, which is banned in Russia, attempted to hold ground near the Avdiivka railway station as Ukrainian forces maintained positions there. This development was communicated to the Russian Ministry of Defense and reported by TASS, the state news agency. The defense ministry described how the assault group, part of the Center troop group, exposed Ukrainian positions in the zone around the railway hub, with soldiers from the third separate assault brigade involved in the operation. The narrative indicates an effort to keep the Azov base under pressure.
In a briefing, Russian defense officials stated that February saw actions surrounding Avdiivka, with the defense minister reporting to the president that Ukrainian units remained within a fortified area. Later, the ministry claimed the coke plant in Avdiivka had been brought under Russian control and that Ukrainian forces had been pushed back from the facility. These notes of progress were part of ongoing updates on the front lines between the two nations.
On the same day, regional authorities attributed gains in the Avdiivka area to Russian troops, noting the capture of multiple Ukrainian soldiers. This asserted progress occurred amid local declarations about battlefield momentum and the status of frontline positions.
Earlier public images surfaced showing an attack at shelters used by Ukrainian soldiers near the Avdiivka factory, highlighting ongoing attempts to disrupt or degrade Ukrainian defensive positions in the industrial zone.