Footage from the frontlines in Eastern Ukraine confirmed that the Russian military had taken control of a dominant height near one of the largest Ukrainian strongholds in the Donbass. Russian flag is waving over the ash dump on the northern outskirts of the Avdeevka Coke and Chemical Plant which was turned into another castle by the Ukrainian military during the long years of war in the Donbass.

Russia Today showed some footage of the battles in the area, which resulted in the Russian victory. There are flags of the Russian Federation and the one of the 114th Motorized Rifle Brigade (the former ‘Vostok’ Brigade of the DPR), which stormed and took control of the ash dump.

Before any assault operations, Ukrainian servicemen were ‘smoked out of their hideout’ by Russian artillery fire, drone strikes, airstrikes etc.

The first reports about the Russian control of the stronghold came about the week ago. However, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) launched counterattacks and Ukrainian fire prevented the Russian military from gaining a foothold in the area. The installation of the flags in the area marked the end of the battles for the hills and confirmed Russian control of them.

The intensity of battles and resistance of Ukrainian forces confirm the strategic importance of the control of the ash dump. It allows Russian forces to take close fire control on the Ukrainian military hiding in the large plant. Intensification of Russian shelling on the AFU in the plant will also decrease Ukrainian attacks on civilians in the Donetsk city agglomeration.