Setback for Kiev: The Ukrainian army must withdraw from the city of Avdiivka, which has been fiercely contested for months, in the war against Russian invaders. But the army apparently does not want to give up the place. New Commander-in-Chief Olexander Syrskyj expressed optimism that they would return.
“Given the operational situation around Avdiivka, I have decided to withdraw our units from the city and enter the defense on more favorable lines to avoid encirclement and protect the lives and health of the soldiers,” Syrskyi wrote on social media early Saturday morning media.
Biggest setback since the fall of Bakhmut
Russian forces have been trying to capture Avdiivka since October 2023, with heavy losses. Since 2014, the former industrial city has been an outpost of Ukraine in the immediate vicinity of Donetsk, the Russian-controlled capital of the Donbass coal and steel district. A capture of the city by Russian forces would not be of strategic importance, but could be exploited by the Kremlin for propaganda purposes before the Russian presidential elections in March, the experts from the US Institute for War Studies (ISW) wrote. Most recently, Ukraine had to give up the city of Bakhmut in the spring of 2023, which had also been fought over for months. The fall of Avdiivka has been the biggest setback for Ukraine since then.
Syrsky further wrote that the soldiers fulfilled their military duty with dignity and did everything they could “to destroy the best Russian military units”; they inflicted significant losses in personnel and equipment on the enemy. “We are taking measures to stabilize the situation and maintain our positions.” The lives of soldiers are of the highest value.
‘Enemy is advancing over the corpses of our own soldiers’
The commanding general for this sector of the front, Alexander Tarnavskyj, wrote on Telegram that the army left Avdiivka as ordered and reached the prepared positions. “In a situation where the enemy is advancing under constant bombardment of the corpses of his own soldiers and has a ten-to-one advantage, this is the only right decision,” he wrote. The encirclement was prevented, the personnel were withdrawn and the soldiers took over the defense on the designated lines.
In recent days, the situation for the Ukrainian defenders in the city had become increasingly difficult. The Ukrainian defenders fought back under “inhumane conditions,” the press service of the 110th Brigade of the Ukrainian Army deployed in Avdiivka said on Friday. “Today the enemy is throwing huge forces in the form of personnel, armored vehicles and aircraft towards Avdiivka.”
Encirclement was imminent
Russian troops have advanced from different directions, the ISW experts analyzed in their daily report on Thursday. Photos have shown Russian troops advancing from the north towards the major Avdiivka coking plant. In the south of the city, an important Ukrainian fortified defensive structure was captured. “Russian forces may complete the encirclement of some Ukrainian forces if Ukrainian forces do not withdraw or carry out successful counterattacks,” the observers concluded.
“Saving lives is the highest priority”
The Ukrainian side had already reported on Thursday that its troops were withdrawing from some advanced positions. Brigadier General Tarnawskyj said reinforcements would be brought to threatened areas. But he also said new positions were being prepared. “We value every piece of Ukrainian land, but the highest value and priority for us is saving the lives of Ukrainian soldiers,” the general wrote on Telegram.
Source: Krone
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