The battle over Avdiivka, a strategic location in Ukraine’s Donbas region, witnessed one of Russia’s largest armored attacks since the full-scale invasion began, only to be repelled by the Ukrainian forces’ strategic use of drones and anti-tank weapons. In what has been a clear demonstration of the evolving nature of warfare and the strategic role of technology on the modern battlefield, Ukraine’s defenders, specifically the 25th Airborne Brigade, thwarted an aggressive Russian offensive over the weekend.
Russian forces, reportedly from the 6th Regiment of the 90th Tank Division, one of Russia’s premier armored units, launched an attack involving 36 tanks and 12 BMP infantry fighting vehicles toward Ukrainian positions to the west of Avdiivka near the village of Tonenke. Despite the size and strength of the assaulting force, the Ukrainian paratroopers, who have held the eastern Donbas sector for over two years, were prepared.
The assault began across open ground, a tactical decision that would prove costly for the Russian battalion-sized force. As the Russian armored columns advanced, the lead vehicles met their first obstacle – land mines strategically placed by Ukrainian defenders. The ensuing chaos halted the advance, providing the Ukrainian forces with the opportunity to deploy their arsenal of anti-tank missiles and artillery with devastating effect. According to reports, “explosive-toting Ukrainian FPV drones then followed up, setting broken tanks and fighting vehicles on fire with repeated strikes and hunting down retreating Russian soldiers.”
Geolocated video evidence published over the weekend corroborated the fierce resistance that Russian forces encountered. It depicted armored units driving into direct Ukrainian fire and retreating under losses, indicating a well-coordinated and robust Ukrainian response. This engagement, reportedly leaving behind a third of Russian tanks destroyed or damaged, represents a substantial setback for the aggressors and underscores the effectiveness of Ukrainian drone warfare combined with traditional defense tactics.
The military analytical platform Militarnyi analyzed the events and highlighted that most Russian losses were borne by the 6th Regiment of the 90th Tank Division. This is notable considering the unit’s reputation at the start of the war as one of Russia’s best-equipped and trained. However, their high-tech T-90 tanks and obsolete T-62s proved no match for the agile and targeted responses from Ukrainian drones.
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), this failed attempt to seize Ukrainian defenses near Tonenke has significant implications for the broader conflict. It provides a “positive indicator for Ukraine’s ability to defend against future large-scale Russian assaults,” particularly in light of Russia’s anticipated summer offensive. Furthermore, ISW has underscored that despite these successes, the defenses have required a significant expenditure of Ukraine’s material and manpower reserves, which are already limited.
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