The civilian population in the city of Avdiifka of eastern Ukraine has decreased to 1,800 people from 32,000 before the war, as Russian forces move menacingly closer to the city in an attempt to capture it, the local governor said today.

Avdiyivka has become one of the key targets of the Russian winter offensive that Moscow hoped would reinvigorate the February 2022 offensive and which has yielded only small territorial gains in the east.

“The Russians have turned Avdiifka into an absolute ruin”, said Pavlo Kirilenko, the regional governor of Donetsk.

He said the city was hit by an airstrike today that destroyed a high-rise building.

“Fortunately, there were no casualties as all occupants of the building were evacuated in time,” he stated. “In total, around 1,800 people remain in Abdiifka, all of whom risk their lives every day.”

In a separate statement, the general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said that Russian forces continue to launch offensive operations around Avdiivka, but are suffering heavy losses in manpower and equipment.