Avdiivka and the drone exchanges before 1 December 2023
A look back at the front-line and air-war reports that framed the opening of December 2023 in Donetsk Oblast and beyond.
What was the situation around Avdiivka as 1 December 2023 began? Reports from the days before that date described a city under growing pressure in Donetsk Oblast.
On 28 November 2023, Russian forces were reported to be advancing on all sides of Avdiivka as they moved to encircle it. Heavy fighting was reported for control of the Avdiivka Coke Plant.
The air war ran alongside the ground fighting. On 25 November 2023, Russia launched 75 drones against Ukraine from two directions: Primorsko-Akhtarsk and the Kursk region. In response, Ukraine launched 20 drones against Russia, including the capital, Moscow.
Together, these reports show the pattern of the final days of November 2023: a contested industrial site on the Donetsk front and drone launches crossing the border in both directions.
