RUSSIANS TO CUT COKE PLANT FROM AVDEEVKA

While heavy battles are ongoing on the frontlines, Russian forces continue massive strikes throughout Ukraine. Over the past night, at least seven large explosions thundered in the town of Chuguev in the Kharkiv region. The local authorities confirmed that the Russian attack was successful but did not reveal its target, claiming that there were no casualties among the civilians. The local sources are hiding any information about the damage, but some supposed that another facility used for accommodation of Ukrainian servicemen was hit. Another wave of attacks on Ukrainian airfields was reported by Ukrainian sources. Russian strikes reportedly hit the Mirgorod airfield in the Poltava region, from where Ukrainian aircraft armed with Storm Shadow missiles are taking off to attack Russian rear areas. More explosions thundered in the area of the notorious Starokonstantinov airfield in the Khmelnitsk region. Ukrainian Su-24MR aircraft of the 7th Tactical Aviation Brigade are based at there. They are the main carriers of Storm Shadow / SCALP cruise missiles. In their turn, Ukrainian forces attempted to reach Russian territory with UAVs. Overnight, two Ukrainian drones were destroyed over the Bryansk region, three more over the Black Sea off the coast of Crimea, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Meanwhile, the Russian army is developing its offensive in Avdeevka, which was turned into a large stronghold by the Ukrainian military during the war in Donbass. According to preliminary reports from the front, Russian forces managed to advance from the recently captured ash dump and take control of the facilities on the northern outskirts of the large Coke and Chemical Plant. They reportedly captured water treatment facilities located there. The next target of their assault is likely a small district of private houses. In the case of their further advance, Russian forces may cut an important road used for Ukrainian military supplies and partially surround the Ukrainian grouping in the plant from the east. To the north-west of Avdeevka, Russian forces have recently repelled the Ukrainian military from the village of Stepovoe but in their turn, they are yet to gain a foothold there. Clashes continue in the area while the village remains in the grey zone. The ongoing Russian operations in various directions from their stronghold in Krasnogorovka force the Ukrainian command to transfer additional reserves to the area in an attempt to replace those completely destroyed.