Russian forces are making swift, incremental progress outside Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine, the New York Times reported. This is partly due to diminishing Ukrainian ammunition and reduced Western aid, the Times wroteHowever, there’s another reason the Kremlin’s troops are advancing in the area is due to poor Ukrainian defences. Basic trench lines are sparsely scattered in the western area near Avdiivka, as observed in satellite imagery by Planet Labs, a commercial satellite company. These trench lines lack many of the additional fortifications that could help slow Russian tanks and help defend major roads and important terrain.