AVDIIVKA: Russian forces eased attacks on the beleaguered eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka on Saturday and unofficial reports from the region suggested that they had failed to capture the devastated town of Maryinka to the southwest.

Ukraine's Defence Forces repelled 12 Russian attacks on the Bakhmut front and 11 on the Avdiivka front, and a total of 45 combat clashes took place during the day. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook,