 Putin wants to capture Avdivka until the presidential elections. The Russian occupiers have two main objectives in the capture of Avdivka in the Donetsk region, political and military. According to RBC Ukraine, one of the Russian goals is, unquestionably, a military one. Avdivka is one of the closest cities to Donetsk and is under the control of the Ukrainian armed forces, which poses challenges for the Russian occupiers. Essentially, the entire Donetsk region is an agglomeration where one city blends into another. Yasinovata, an important railway junction, is located near Avdivka. Just five kilometres from the city is Donetsk airport and a bit further lies the occupied city of Holivka. Therefore, by holding Avdivka, the Ukrainian military can maintain control over several strategically important points and logistical hubs, notes Ukrainian military expert Pavlo Narosnyi. Avdivka is like an appendix in the enemy's defence. It juts deep into the territory for about 10 kilometres. This is a precarious situation for the enemy. The shorter the front line, the better for them. They need to straighten the front line to ease the situation near Donetsk because it's very tense there, says Narosnyi to RBC Ukraine. The other goal is political. Firstly, elections are approaching in Russia and the current President Vladimir Putin wants to sell his personal victory to the Russian people. Bakhmut, captured by the Wagner group, doesn't fit this role well due to conflicts between the Ministry of Defence and the former leader of the Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin. However, Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shogu and, accordingly, Putin, needs to showcase their achievements. And Avdivka, as odd as it may seem in the context of last year's ambition, is a suitable choice today, says military expert Petro Chernik. Putin should enter the elections with the result that he has achieved his goals in the Russian Federation. I don't believe in any uprisings of the Russian people but, for the elites, it's a sign of his incompetence. That's why they are storming Avdivka. But from a military perspective, it's a suicide, the expert said.