"Ukrainian Commander Acknowledges Miscalculations in Defense Strategy Amid Russian Advance"

Russian forces are making small but rapid gains outside the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka due to poor Ukrainian defenses, including sparse and rudimentary trench lines lacking additional fortifications. Ukrainian officials may have been too focused on offensive operations to dedicate resources to building defensive lines, and there may have been a psychological element at play. While Ukraine has announced plans to allocate funds for fortifications, delays and lack of resources have left Ukrainian troops struggling to reinforce their defenses while under fire from the Russian Army.