Ukraine today tried to iron out the withdrawal of its troops from Avdivka, one of Kiev’s strongholds in Donbas, while Russia proclaims its greatest victory since the capture of Bakhmut, in May 2023.
“This operation (the withdrawal from Avdivka) has not been a tragedy for the Ukrainian Army,” said the spokesman for the Ukrainian military group ‘Tavria’, Dmitro Likhovi, who stressed that the troops fulfilled their mission of “wearing down the Russian reserves.” .
A high-cost victory for Russia
He added that in the area of responsibility of his group only from January 1 to February 16, Russian troops lost, between dead and wounded, 20,607 troops, 201 tanks and 492 armored cars, most of them in the sector from Avdivka.
Lijovi highlighted that all units that were in danger of being surrounded by Russian troops in Avdivka were withdrawn to more advantageous defensive positions and continue to carry out combat missions and prevent further enemy advance.”
“We recovered everything. We will not give anything to these murderers, of that I am sure,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last night on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
According to the American think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian air superiority, to which was added the shortage of ammunition experienced by the Ukrainian artillery, determined the fate of Avdivka.
The city, located less than 10 kilometers north of the regional capital of Donetsk, controlled by Russia since 2014, fell after being attacked incessantly since last October.
Russia welcomes
“Eternal glory to those who fell in carrying out the missions of the special military operation,” wrote Russian President Vladimir Putin in a congratulatory message to General Andrei Mordichev, commander of the Russian forces that took control of Avdivka. .
After months without progress on the front, this military victory fits Putin perfectly for his re-election campaign for a fifth term in the elections next March.
“On February 17, during offensive operations, units of the ‘Center’ troop grouping completely liberated the city of Avdivka from the Donetsk People’s Republic and advanced to a depth of 8.6 kilometers,” the Ministry of Defense reported this Sunday. Defense of Russia.
According to the Russian command, only in the last day the enemy lost more than 1,500 soldiers and the total area of “liberated territory” was 31.75 square kilometers.
“The order of the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, (Oleksandr) Sirsky to leave the city was given after Ukrainian troops began to flee Avdivka in a disorderly manner,” stated Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov.
Russian troops continue their offensive
Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov stated today that Russian troops continue their offensive operations in the Avdivka area.
“Our units develop the offense. They do not allow the enemy to gain a foothold in new lines,” said Peskov, quoted by the official TASS agency.
He added that the Russian president receives real-time reports from the Minister of Defense, Sergei Shoigu, and the chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, on the development of the offensive.
“Our offensive actions continue,” the spokesman insisted, adding that the soldiers who distinguished themselves in the battle of Avdivka will be decorated.
Ukraine reiterates its request for long-range weapons
The president of Ukraine never tires of repeating, as he stated yesterday at the Munich Security Conference, that his country urgently needs long-range weapons and artillery projectiles in sufficient quantity to stop and counteract Russia’s superiority in arms.
The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, called today to expedite the delivery of weapons to Ukraine because we cannot “wait any longer”, since the conflict can be resolved in a few months on the battlefield.
“Every European must understand that we are in a war situation,” said Borrell in a round table held during the Munich Security Conference.
The situation in Ukraine “requires us to work together, faster and better,” he added.
BY:TTU/EFE
