Russians advance near Stepove, Ukrainian forces push east of Nevelske – ISW

As Russian troops pursued offensive operations near the town of Avdiivka and made minor gains near the village of Stepove on 17 December, Ukrainian forces counterattacked and advanced east of the settlement of Nevelske. Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW) Details: Russian sources also claimed that the Russian army troops pushed towards the settlement of Novokalynove (5 km north-west of Avdiivka) and near the town of Krasnohorivka (3 km north-east of Avdiivka), the Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant north-west of Avdiivka and an industrial area southeast of Avdiivka on 16 and 17 December.

Russian military bloggers claimed that Russian troops had entered the outskirts of Avdiivka, although ISW has not seen any visual evidence of this allegation.

At the same time, the Ukrainian General Staff reported on 17 December that Ukrainian forces had repelled at least 17 Russian attacks east of the village of Novobakhmutivka (7 km north of Avdiivka), Stepove and Avdiivka, and at least 13 Russian attacks near the settlements of Pervomaiske (11 km southwest of Avdiivka) and Nevelske (15 km southwest). A spokesperson for a Ukrainian brigade operating near Avdiivka stated that Russian troops recently attempted an advance on Avdiivka with a formation of up to 10 armoured vehicles, adding that Ukrainian forces destroyed roughly 50% of the equipment.

Source: ISW

At the same time, Russian sources claimed that the Russian occupying forces had captured the town of Marinka and extended their offensive to the west and southwest of Donetsk on 17 December. Russian military bloggers claimed that Russian troops controlled the entirety of Marinka and were currently securing the outskirts of the town.

However, ISW stressed that it had no visual confirmation of Russian control over all of Marinka, and a range of Russian sources repeatedly urged other Russian sources to wait for official confirmation. Besides, Ukrainian forces engaged in offensive actions on the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line on 17 December. Geolocation footage released on that day indicated that Ukrainian troops had recently advanced north of the settlement of Synkivka.

At the same time, the Russians were pursuing offensive operations north of the town of Bakhmut but failed to make any progress. Meanwhile, geolocation footage released on 17 December reveals that Russian forces have advanced northwest of the settlement of Khromove (west of Bakhmut) and into Kurdiumivka (13 km southwest of Bakhmut). Russian sources claimed that the Russian army forces advanced to the outskirts of the settlement of Klishchiivka and towards the village of Ivanivske on 16 and 17 December.

Source: ISW

However, the Ukrainian General Staff reported on 17 December that Russian forces had mounted unsuccessful attacks near the settlements of Bohdanivka (6 km northwest of Bakhmut), Ivanivske, Klishchiivka and Andriivka (10 km southwest of Bakhmut).

Ukrainian forces also pursued offensive operations in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast, but apparently made no progress on 17 December.

Source: ISW

Ukrainian forces are reportedly holding positions on the left (eastern) bank of Kherson Oblast.

A Russian military blogger claimed that the Ukrainian troops continued to move reinforcements to the Dnipro River's left bank, with the Russians on the Kherson front complaining about the lack of transport to evacuate the wounded and the absence of electronic warfare systems to counter Ukrainian drones.

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