KHARKIV REGION, UKRAINE, Feb 19 — The ISW report from February 18, 2024, outlines three main offensive efforts of the Russian military. They maintain the offensive operations on the Kupiansk and Lyman axis, in and around Avdiivka, and near Robotyne. 

The Institute for the Study of War agrees with other Ukrainian and Western sources that shortages of artillery ammunition and air-defence systems and delays in Western military aid hindered Ukrainian defense Avdiivka. The ISW states the delays are helping Russia to launch more offensive operations along several sections of the frontline, including the Kharkiv-Luhansk Oblast border. 

Frontline as of February 18 / Source: deepstatemap

They write, “Russian forces succeeded in drawing Ukrainian forces to Avdiivka and away from other areas of the front and forcing Ukrainians to use up already limited Ukrainian stores of critical equipment, but did so without securing major operational gains. This outcome is likely to recur in ongoing offensive operations on the Kharkiv-Luhansk Oblast border line and in western Zaporizhia Oblast.” 

The ISW also refers to a Ukrainian military observer Kostiantyn Mashovets saying that Russians redeployed units to the Kupiansk-Svatove area. Apart from that, the ISW assesses that capturing Avdiivka shouldn’t be perceived as “an ability [of Russians] to secure operationally significant gains,” as, in the offensive that led up to it, Russians didn’t demonstrate the capability to conduct “widespread and competent cross-country maneuvers.”