"Russian Offensive: The Fall of Avdiivka and Shifting Control in Ukraine"

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that Russian losses in capturing the Ukrainian town of Avdiivka may exceed those in the 10-year Soviet-Afghan war, with estimates of up to 47,000 Russian casualties. Russian forces used costly "human wave" tactics, overwhelming Ukrainian positions with large numbers of soldiers, resulting in high casualties. Despite Russian gains, the ISW emphasized that Ukraine has not lost and the situation is far from hopeless, with Russia facing limited gains and extreme costs in the ongoing conflict.