The Novopavlivka direction, formerly known as the Mariinka front, has become one of the “hot” frontline areas, Dmytro Lykhovii, the spokesman for Ukraine’s Tavria Operational Strategic Grouping of Forces, told an interview with Radio Donbas Realiyi.
Lykhovii reported that “in the area of Novomykhailivka village, the enemy is concentrating significant reserves, transferring reinforcements from the depths of Russia, specifically to take the village of Novomykhailivka.”
“There are more daily assaults there than on the Avdiivka front. For example, yesterday, there were 20 on the Avdiivka front, and in Novomykhailivka and its outskirts, there were 30 assaults. However, the defense holds, the enemy is making huge efforts but has no success at all,” Lykhovii said.
On 17 February, Ukrainian forces left the city of Avdiivka near Donetsk after more than four months of exhausting battles, which the Ukrainian Armed Forces had held since the beginning of the Russian invasion in 2014. On 26 February, Ukrainian troops had retreated from the village of Lastochkyne near Avdiivka, and on 27 February, from the villages of Stepove and Severne.
On 3 March, Lykhovii stated that the Ukrainian Defense Forces have managed to stabilize the operational situation west of Avdiivka despite ongoing clashes with Russian troops in the area.
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