MOSCOW, February 17. /TASS/. The Russian forces’ eventual success to storm the fortified line of defense of the Ukrainian army near Avdeyevka may largely turn the tide of the special military operation, the acting head of the Donetsk People's Republic, Denis Pushilin, said in a media interview on Friday.

"From the standpoint of military strategy, of course, the Russian army faces the difficult task of storming the most formidable line of defense with concrete long-term fire emplacements and shelters near Avdeyevka. It is precisely a breakthrough in this area that can largely change the course of the special operation," he said.

Pushilin believes that the success of the Russian forces in the Donetsk and Gorlovka areas "will lead to a drop in the intensity of shelling of our cities."

He noted that the advancing Russian forces still enjoyed the initiative on the line of engagement and were gradually "cracking enemy defenses, which the Kiev regime has built over eight years."

"Despite the heavy losses on certain sections of the frontline, the enemy is still resisting desperately. For the Ukrainian command, even grossly disadvantageous positions are not reason enough to retreat," Pushilin stressed. He added that the situation on the front line was complicated by the fact that the Ukrainian military had fortified industrial zones, typical of Donbass cities, to suit its needs, and the Ukrainian defense lines stretched across the cities’ residential areas, where many civilians remain in their homes.

Avdeyevka, an integral part of the Donetsk agglomeration, is located a few kilometers north of the DPR’s capital city and approximately 1.5 kilometers west of Yasinovataya. In January, the mayor of Yasinovataya, Dmitry Shevchenko, told TASS that there were about 3,000 civilians left in Avdeyevka. The local chemical plant is one of the largest in Europe. Until 2014, it produced about 30 types of chemical products. During the conflict in Donbass, Ukrainian troops turned it into one of their main strongholds. From Avdeyevka, Ukrainian forces shell Donetsk, Yasinovataya, Makeyevka and the surrounding areas, including key roads.