Ukrainian forces in a priority section of the front line near Avdiivka appear to have defeated a large Russian mechanized assault involving tanks and fighting vehicles over the weekend.
The apparent win is a promising indicator that troops can repel future Russian offensives this year, war experts say, despite currently scraping the bottom of the barrel on ammunition and other war supplies.
On March 30, Ukrainian troops outside occupied Avdiivka fought off a Russian battalion-sized mechanized assault, the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said.
ISW cited a Ukrainian serviceman who, on March 31, said that elements of Russia's 6th Tank Regiment sent 36 tanks and 12 BMP infantry fighting vehicles into a battle on the front line near Tonenke, a village east of Avdiivka.
The serviceman said Ukraine destroyed 12 tanks and eight IVFs. Footage shared by Ukraine showed some of the assault, including Russian tanks being destroyed by anti-tank guided missiles, according to open-source intelligence accounts on social media.