Avdiivka


Avdiivka or Avdeevka is a city of oblast significance in Donetsk Oblast of Ukraine. The city is in center of the region just north from the city of Donetsk. Avdiivka is best known for its big Avdiivka Coke Plant. Officially the town's population is ; in January 2017 BBC News estimated that the population ranged between 16,000 and 22,000.

War in Donbass

Starting Mid-April 2014 pro-Russian separatists captured several towns in Donetsk Oblast; including Avdiivka. On 21 July 2014, Ukrainian forces reportedly secured the city from separatists. This claim was repeated the next day. Ukrainian forces kept control of Avdiivka, which became a frontline city and frequently shelled. According to the OSCE the area between Avdiivka and neighboring separatist controlled Yasynuvata is one of the hotspots of the War in Donbass.
In March 2016 the Ukrainian army set up its fortifications in the area "Industrial Zone", until then a buffer zone between the Donetsk People's Republic controlled territories and Ukrainian army controlled Ukraine in the eastern part Avdiivka. This meant that the pro-Russian separatists no longer had full control of the highway that united their controlled cities Donetsk and Horlivka and that it became more difficult for them to fire at Avdiivka with weapons not prohibited by the Minsk II agreement. Since March 2016 fighting for Avdiivka's "Industrial Zone" greatly intensified.
From 29 January 2017 until 4 February 2017 the city was embroiled in the Battle of Avdiivka which left Avdiivka without electricity and heating for several days.

Demographics

As of the Ukrainian Census of 2001:
;Ethnicity
;Language
Heating energy is normally provided via natural gas from the Avdiivka Coke Plant. The plant was damaged and its gas pipe shattered during a bombardment by pro-Russian separatists in January 2017, leaving the town without heating for several days.
Beside Avdiivka Coke, the city has Avdiivka Factory of Metallic Structures, quartz sand quarry and some other factories and industrial centers.
The city had its own tramway service which connects the city's center with Avdiivka Coke Plant. Due to the War in Donbass it is no longer operating. The line had three rail stops and the city train station.
The city is conditionally split by a railroad into Old city and settlement "Khimik".

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