RT reports that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are forcing residents of Avdiivka to leave the city. The Russian military has been conducting operations in the area since April.
The offensive is aimed at stopping the flow of gas into the city from the east. The operation is expected to last until the end of the month, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. It is not known how long it will take for the residents to return to their homes, which have been destroyed by the fighting. The conflict in eastern Ukraine has claimed the lives of more than 3,000 people.