Moscow's forces have focused on eastern Ukraine since failing to advance on Kyiv in the first days of the February 2022 invasion.
Zelenskiy, in his nightly video address, said Russian assaults in the eastern Donetsk region including Avdiivka had been "very intense".
"Russia is already losing men and equipment near Avdiivka faster and on a larger scale than, for example, near Bakhmut," he said, referring to months of heavy fighting that culminated in Russian forces capturing the eastern town of Bakhmut in May.
The more Russian forces that are destroyed near Avdiivka, the worse the overall situation will be for the enemy and the overall course of this war."
Ukrainian forces, he said, had repelled 18 Russian attacks over the past 24 hours.
Persons:
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Moscow's, Avdiivka, Rybar, Oleksandr Shtupun, Shtupun, Andriy Yermak, Yermak, Ron Popeski, Oleksandr Kozhukhar, Leslie Adler, Stephen Coates
Organizations:
Russia's Defence Ministry, Reuters, Ukraine's Defense Forces, Hudson Institute, Thomson
Locations:
Avdiivka, Kherson, Dnipro, Crimea, Ukraine, Kyiv, Donetsk, Russia, Bakhmut, Russian, Ukrainian, United States, Moscow