Ukraine said its forces were holding their positions but Vitaliy Barabash, head of Avdiivka's military administration, said the town was under constant attack with rockets, artillery and large numbers of ground troops.

“The fighting has been going on for four days now. The situation is very fierce…”, Mr Barabash said in televised comments. “It was a very terrible night in Avdiivka. There were several air strikes on the city centre… attacks were going on day and night.”

The attack on Avdiivka was one of the few major Russian offensives since Ukrainian forces launched a counteroffensive in early June. The Russian Defense Ministry said on October 12 that its forces had inflicted damage on Ukrainian troops in areas including Avdiivka but gave few details.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said its troops had repelled more than 20 Russian attacks in the area around Avdiivka and nearby villages over the past 24 hours.

Ukraine believes Russia intends to encircle and take control of the town, northwest of Donetsk, and draw Ukrainian troops from other fronts. Avdiivka is home to a large coke plant and has successfully held off Russian forces in the past.

For the past few months, Russia has focused on preventing Ukrainian forces from counterattacking, and is looking to build momentum for a strong re-offensive.

Hoang Nam (according to TASS, Reuters)