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Ukraine in maps: Tracking the war with Russia Ukraine in maps: Tracking the war with Russia
(2 months later)
Fighting has been raging in Ukraine for two years since Russia's invasion, with Moscow's forces making an apparent breakthrough this week after months of virtual stalemate. Fighting has been raging in Ukraine for two years since Russia's invasion, with Moscow's forces edging forwards in recent weeks after months of virtual stalemate.
Here are the latest developments:Here are the latest developments:
Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from the eastern town of Avdiivka in Russia's biggest victory since the fall of Bakhmut in May last year Russian forces have made advances north and north-east of Kharkiv, the second biggest city in Ukraine
Russia has also been launching attacks around villages in the southern Zaporizhzhia region where Ukraine made some gains during its 2023 counter-offensive Russian forces have made advances north and north-east of Kharkiv, the second biggest city in Ukraine
Ukraine has continued its attacks on the Russian fleet in the Black Sea - most recently claiming to have sunk the amphibious ship, the Caesar Kunikov, off the coast of Russian-occupied Crimea Russia has also intensified attacks along the eastern front since April although its advances have been described as minor
Russian forces take Avdiivka Russia has also intensified attacks along the eastern front since April although its advances have been described as minor
Ukraine has withdrawn its troops from Avdiivka - a key eastern town besieged by Russian forces for months - and the nearby coke factory which allowed Kyiv to resupply its forces there. Russia advancing north of Kharkiv
Since last October, Moscow has launched wave after wave of attacks towards the town - which would have been a possible gateway for Ukraine to reach the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk. Russian forces have crossed the international border to the north of Ukraine's second biggest city Kharkiv and have made what analysts are calling "tactically significant advances".
Avdiivka has been a battlefield town since 2014, when Russian-backed fighters seized large swathes of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Russia has intensified its attacks on the region following Friday's surprise incursions across the border, seizing several villages and settlements in one of the most significant ground attacks since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Vovchansk, located 74km (45 miles) from Kharkiv, has been heavily bombed in recent days. While it is a significant town in the region, Vovchansk is not of specific military importance, though its capture would be a blow to Ukrainian morale.
Russian military bloggers claim clearing operations have started in the village of Staritsa, although that is not confirmed.
Thousands of civilians have fled towards Kharkiv and there are concerns among Ukrainian commanders about what could happen if Russian troops get within artillery-range of the city.
US-based analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) say Russian forces "currently appear to be prioritizing the rapid establishment of a 'buffer zone' along the international border over setting conditions for deeper penetrations into northern Kharkiv Oblast".
However, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) assessment is that Russia is "almost certainly attempting to divert Ukrainian resources away from other parts of the front line", but adds: "It is unlikely that Russia has built up sufficient combat power to take the city (Kharkiv) without diverting additional forces into the area."
Russian progress in the east
The incursion is some miles from the main front line to the east where Russia has continued its offensive operations and been edging forwards since October 2023.
The MoD noted that Russian attacks intensified further in April - up 17% from March - with more than three quarters on the areas around the towns of Avdiivka and Bakhmut.
Russia had a notable success in the town of Avdiivka where Ukrainian troops withdrew in February after months of fighting. Russian forces are now in control of what remains of the town and pushing west.
Avdiivka, which would have been a possible gateway for Ukraine to reach the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk, has been a battlefield town since 2014, when Russian-backed fighters seized large swathes of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Almost all of Avdiivka's pre-war population of more than 30,000 people have left and the town itself is almost completely destroyed.Almost all of Avdiivka's pre-war population of more than 30,000 people have left and the town itself is almost completely destroyed.
Its fall marks the biggest change on the more than 1,000km-long (620-mile) front line since Russian troops seized the nearby town of Bakhmut in May 2023. Bakhmut remains a key flash point along the front line along with the areas around Robotyne and Krynky further south. Its fall marked the biggest change on the more than 1,000km-long (620-mile) front line since Russian troops seized the nearby town of Bakhmut in May 2023.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin has hailed it as an "important victory" - although the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) said it was "likely that Russian forces lack the combat effectiveness to immediately exploit the capture of Avdiivka".
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said the decision to withdraw was taken to save soldiers' lives and blamed faltering Western weapons supplies.
Ukraine is critically dependent on weapons supplies from the US and other Western allies to keep fighting Russia - a much bigger military force with an abundance of artillery ammunition.
Battle for BakhmutBattle for Bakhmut
Bakhmut has endured some of the heaviest fighting of the war and, although Ukraine gained some ground in the surrounding areas over the summer, recent assessments by US-based analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggest Russian forces have made advances around the city. Bakhmut itself remains a flashpoint and has endured some of the heaviest fighting of the war.
Flashpoints in the south However, although Ukraine gained some ground in the surrounding areas over the summer, Russian forces have since made advances around the city. The ISW reports that territory to the west and south of the town continues to change hands.
Russia has also made slow progress further south near the villages of Robotyne and Verbove in Zaporizhzhia - an area where Ukraine had seen some success during its counter-offensive in 2023. The MoD said attacks on Chasiv Yar, which is situated on high ground to the west of Bakhmut, rose by 200% from March to April and that Russia was probably trying to gain control of the town.
When Ukraine retook Robotyne in August it was hoped that its forces would be able to cut the land corridor to Crimea, making Moscow's supply lines more complicated. "Despite the substantial increase in attacks on this axis, Russia made only minor tactical gains in the area during April and almost certainly sustained heavy losses," the MoD added.
Earlier this week Ukrainian commanders said Russian forces had launched multiple attacks on their positions in the area but insisted they had been repelled.
However, the ISW said geolocated footage indicated Russian forces had recently advanced to the western and southern outskirts of the village while Russian military bloggers were claiming even further progress.
Russia also appears to have retaken some territory on the eastern bank of the Dnipro river in the area around the village of Krynky, about 30km (19 miles) from the city of Kherson.
Ukraine first announced it had made a breakthrough in Krynky in mid-November - the river had separated Ukrainian and Russian forces since Moscow's troops withdrew from Kherson a year ago.
It was hoped Ukraine might be able to use it as a base to begin transferring armoured vehicles and air defence systems across the river, putting it a step closer to breaking through to Crimea, the peninsula illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed on Tuesday that Russian forces had retaken Krynky but the ISW said open-source visual evidence and Ukrainian and Russian reporting suggested that Ukrainian forces still had a limited foothold in the area.
Attacks on Russia's fleet
Meanwhile, Ukraine has maintained its attacks on Russia's Black Sea Fleet, including the apparent sinking of the amphibious ship, the Caesar Kunikov, off the coast of Crimea.
Ukraine's intelligence directorate released video of what it said were Magura V5 sea drones striking the ship near the town of Alupka.
There was no confirmation from Russia's navy that the Caesar Kunikov had been sunk in the Black Sea, merely that six Ukrainian drones had been destroyed. The Kremlin has also refused to comment on the incident.
However, the UK MoD notes it would be third such vessel, which is used to provide logistical support to the fleet and the wider war effort in Ukraine, to be destroyed in Ukrainian strikes.
"Ukraine's ingenuity has highly likely deterred Russia from operating freely in the western Black Sea and enabled Ukraine to seize the maritime momentum from Russia," it adds.
Two days later pro-Russian military bloggers reported that the commander of the Black Sea Fleet Admiral Viktor Sokolov had been replaced by Vice-Admiral Sergei Pinchuka.
They speculated that this may have been as a result of Ukraine's successes, although it is possible that Sokolov was killed in a strike on the Black Sea Fleet's headquarters in Sevastopol in September.
Ukraine has also succeeded in shooting down several Russian planes in recent weeks - including an Su-34 and an Su-35S in eastern Ukraine on Monday.
Two years of fightingTwo years of fighting
Russia's invasion began with dozens of missile strikes on cities all over Ukraine before dawn on 24 February 2022.Russia's invasion began with dozens of missile strikes on cities all over Ukraine before dawn on 24 February 2022.
Russian ground troops moved in quickly and within a few weeks were in control of large areas of Ukraine and had advanced to the suburbs of Kyiv.Russian ground troops moved in quickly and within a few weeks were in control of large areas of Ukraine and had advanced to the suburbs of Kyiv.
Russian forces were bombarding Kharkiv, and they had taken territory in the east and south as far as Kherson, and surrounded the port city of Mariupol.Russian forces were bombarding Kharkiv, and they had taken territory in the east and south as far as Kherson, and surrounded the port city of Mariupol.
But they hit very strong Ukrainian resistance almost everywhere and faced serious logistical problems with poorly motivated Russian troops suffering shortages of food, water and ammunition.But they hit very strong Ukrainian resistance almost everywhere and faced serious logistical problems with poorly motivated Russian troops suffering shortages of food, water and ammunition.
Ukrainian forces were also quick to deploy Western supplied arms such as the Nlaw anti-tank system, which proved highly effective against the Russian advance.Ukrainian forces were also quick to deploy Western supplied arms such as the Nlaw anti-tank system, which proved highly effective against the Russian advance.
By October 2022, the picture had changed dramatically and having failed to take Kyiv, Russia withdrew completely from the north. Since then, little has changed on the ground.By October 2022, the picture had changed dramatically and having failed to take Kyiv, Russia withdrew completely from the north. Since then, little has changed on the ground.
By Dominic Bailey, Mike Hills, Paul Sargeant, Tural Ahmedzade, Chris Clayton, Kady Wardell, Mark Bryson, Sana Dionysiou, Gerry Fletcher, Kate Gaynor, Filipa Silverio and Erwan RivaultBy Dominic Bailey, Mike Hills, Paul Sargeant, Tural Ahmedzade, Chris Clayton, Kady Wardell, Mark Bryson, Sana Dionysiou, Gerry Fletcher, Kate Gaynor, Filipa Silverio and Erwan Rivault
About these mapsAbout these maps
To indicate which parts of Ukraine are under control by Russian troops we are using daily assessments published by the Institute for the Study of War with the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats Project. To show key areas where advances are taking place we are also using updates from the UK Ministry of Defence and BBC research. To indicate which parts of Ukraine are under control by Russian troops we are using daily assessments published by the Institute for the Study of War, external with the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats Project, external. To show key areas where advances are taking place we are also using updates from the UK Ministry of Defence, external and BBC research.
The situation in Ukraine is often fast moving and it is likely there will be times when there have been changes not reflected in the maps.The situation in Ukraine is often fast moving and it is likely there will be times when there have been changes not reflected in the maps.
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War in UkraineWar in Ukraine
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