A Ukrainian soldier fires an anti-tank shell on a battlefront in Avdiivka, east of the country (Reuters)

The mayor of Avdiivka, near the city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, which Russia has been trying to control for months, confirmed on Tuesday that the situation is "critical in some areas" of the city, where "street fighting" is taking place with groups of Russian soldiers.

Vitaly Barabakh told Ukrainian television, "The situation in the city is very complex and very tense. We have been saying, for several weeks, that the situation is very difficult, but it is under control, but today the situation is very difficult, and in some areas critical."

Barabakh noted that groups of Russian scouts "penetrated into the city," causing isolated street clashes with the Ukrainian army.

The mayor explained that "this does not mean that things are out of control," stressing that the Russian army "is sending huge forces towards our city," noting that "50 waves of heavy bombing" were recorded on Avdiivka on Tuesday.

945 civilians still reside in this industrial city despite the fighting and destruction, he said.

Hotspot

Russian forces have been trying for months to besiege Avdiivka, where Ukrainian soldiers are stationed in fortified positions.

The city represents one of the hotspots on the front since the failure of the Ukrainian counter-offensive.

In a parallel context, Ukraine said on Tuesday that a group of its special forces blew up a drilling platform in the Black Sea that Russia was using to increase the range of its drones.

The special forces said, in a statement on Telegram, that equipment on the platform was used for drones participating in attacks on vital infrastructure in Ukraine and for controlling the northwestern part of the sea.

The statement added that the operation, which was called "Citadel" (Citadel), took place at night and resulted in the seizure of "important enemy equipment" and the bombing of the platform.

She added, "A successful special operation provided safer movement for ships and reduced the enemy's capabilities in the northwestern part of the Black Sea."

Source: Agencies