Avdiivka: A Devastated Town Emerges from the Brink of Destruction

A Ukrainian police officer surveys a partially demolished structure when, out of the blue, he swiftly dives to the ground, seeking shelter.

"Watch out!" he alerts his colleague, according to the body camera footage obtained by CNN, as a shell strikes close by. "Expect additional rounds."

There is currently minimal policing in Avdiivka as the majority of its former residents have relocated from this city on the frontlines. However, approximately 1,600 individuals have chosen to stay, and the White Angels unit has been deployed to safely evacuate them.

Lieutenant Dmytro Soloviy, a member of the unit, stated in a phone interview with CNN, "On a daily basis, we evacuate an average of four individuals from Avdiivka."

The city of Avdiivka has been at the forefront since pro-Moscow separatists took control of a large part of the Donbas region, including the nearby city of Donetsk, in 2014. Since Russia initiated a full-scale invasion in February 2022, Avdiivka has been under constant attack. However, on October 10, Moscow initiated a concentrated assault by sending waves of soldiers and armored vehicles, while also escalating shelling of the city. This attack on Avdiivka occurred despite the war's front lines remaining relatively stagnant, with Ukraine's counteroffensive progressing slower than expected.

Initially, analysts proposed that the Russian action aimed to compel Kyiv to redirect its forces from the southern and eastern front lines. However, Ukrainian officials assert that the objective is to exploit opportunities for advancement while Kyiv's attention is diverted elsewhere.

Soloviy noted the tense situation, stating that individuals can no longer depart independently but must await evacuation. He further highlighted that due to intensified shelling, there has been an increase in the frequency of people signing up for evacuation.

Lt. Dmytro Soloviy.

Ukraine National Police

Many of Avdiivkas residents had already fled before the full-scale invasion, leaving the city with a pre-war population of around 30,000.

Most of the remaining residents in the city are elderly, predominantly men, who decided to stay behind in their homes despite the circumstances," Soloviy clarified. "The current situation is extremely dire, as there are approximately 10-15 bombings occurring daily."

Furthermore, due to the constant airstrikes and artillery attacks, the city's supply routes have been significantly disrupted, prompting Soloviy's unit to take on the responsibility of managing them.

Currently, we are the sole providers of assistance. Our efforts involve the distribution of humanitarian aid, including bread and medicines," he expressed. "Without taking any breaks, we make daily trips to deliver these necessities."

"Previously, Avdiivka supported three functioning grocery stores. However, two of them fell victim to missile strikes, leaving just one forlorn little store open," he further explained. "With no other alternative to purchase bread, we ensure to bring some every week, so the locals can access this essential staple."

A battle-hardened city

After the exodus of the population from Avdiivka in 2014, the Ukrainian military swiftly took control, bolstering the city's fortifications and transforming it into a formidable stronghold. Remarkably, despite a full-scale invasion occurring nine years later, the front line in the vicinity of Avdiivka has scarcely budged.

A video capturing the arrival of the White Angels unit in the city reveals a scene dominated by yellow and blue. Numerous Ukrainian flags are seen along the route, but alongside them are crumbling walls and shattered windows. Entire buildings, some of considerable height, have been reduced to rubble.

In the daily update on Wednesday, Vitalii Barabash, the head of the Avdiivka city military administration, expressed that the situation has not undergone a significant change - it remains extremely challenging. The defense line encircling the city, as well as the city itself, are constantly targeted by enemy fire. The aggressors, the Russians, are employing all available firepower.

Constantly under the threat of airstrikes, missiles, and artillery, the city and its surroundings are constantly on edge. Despite some limited progress by Russia west of Krasnohorivka and to the north of Avdiivka, the cost has been high and Moscow is still far from achieving its goal.

According to an update from the Ukrainian National Guard on Wednesday, Russian troops persist in their attempts to encircle Avdiivka and have made repeated efforts to storm the city. However, Ukrainian soldiers remain unwavering, inflicting significant manpower and equipment losses on the enemy.

On the ground, the fighting constant and fierce.

"Small arms battles and artillery duels continue around the clock," Barabash explained. "The assault continues 24/7."

Russia, having suffered significant casualties and the loss of several military vehicles, such as tanks and armoured personnel carriers, during the initial phase of the offensive, appears to have resorted to a familiar strategy. This strategy, previously employed against Ukrainian forces defending the city of Bakhmut, involves relentlessly pressing forward despite the ongoing enemy assault and mounting casualties.

However, when it comes to those who visit Avdiivka on a daily basis, the comparisons cease. "I don't believe it is comparable to Bakhmut. Avdiivka is a town that has experienced the brutalities of war and has endured significant hardships," Solviy expressed. "The residents there have become accustomed to the constant turmoil."

While Moscow's strategy has not achieved the desired outcome, it has nonetheless taken a toll on Avdiivka. The only hospital in the city is operational, but it lacks the capacity to offer advanced medical care.

No building left intact

"The hospital functions as a vital stabilization point, where patients are given prompt medical attention and necessary care. Subsequently, we facilitate their transfer to other cities where they can receive specialized assistance," stated Solviy. She further explained that due to the high demand, the hospital is faced with insufficient staffing. "Vitalii Sytnik serves as the chief physician alongside a dedicated team of up to 10 nurses."

DNIPRO, UKRAINE - OCTOBER 18, 2023 - Men stand outside a house that has been devastated by a Russian rocket attack in Obukhivka, Dnipropetrovsk Region, central Ukraine. The attack, which occurred on Wednesday morning, October 18, resulted in the tragic death of a 31-year-old woman who was the mother of two girls. Furthermore, four individuals sustained injuries, three of whom were promptly transported to the hospital in a stable condition. Along with the destruction of one private residence and an outbuilding, a total of 21 private houses, 11 outbuildings, a car, and a low-pressure gas pipeline were also damaged. (Photo credit: Mykola Miakshykov/Ukrinform/Sipa USA)

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Aside from the hospital, Avdiivkas civilian infrastructure is all but gone.

"There isn't a single building that remains undamaged," Barabash stated on Wednesday, echoing Solviy's perspective.

"The destruction is widespread," the officer remarked. "During the summer, there was still optimism about the possibility of returning. However, substantial devastation had not yet occurred."

"Now it has become an irreversible process. The city stands as a mere ruin," he remarked.

Despite this, as a few individuals still reside, Solviy persists in his daily journeys to Avdiivka, with the intention of alleviating their suffering and offering solace.

"I could have been a regular cop, shuffling papers in my office. I chose to be a White Angel," he said. "It can be scary. Sometimes the fear just takes over, but then it goes away and I keep going."