Avdiivka, a city now under Russian occupation, is littered with the bodies of Russian soldiers. Despite the grim reality, Russia propaganda portrays the occupation as a victory. Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, highlighted this during a UN Security Council meeting, as reported by Liga. While the UN session was ongoing, Ukrainians were losing their lives to Russian attacks, Kuleba stressed. According to him, Russia suffered significant losses in Avdiivka.
“For the ruins of Avdiivka, Russia paid with more military lives than the Soviet Union did in 10 years of war in Afghanistan,” stated Kuleba.
The diplomat emphasized that Ukraine seeks peace but will not allow Russia to kill its citizens with impunity. Kuleba declared Ukraine’s resilience and refusal to entertain any proposals that compromise its land and freedoms under the guise of peace.
“We need more air defense systems and ammunition to stop the Russian army. Otherwise, the world will have to pay a much higher price in the future,” concluded the Foreign Minister.
On February 16, Alexander Tarnavsky, the commander of the operational-strategic group “Tavria,” announced the decision of the defensive forces on the Tavria front to withdraw from the “Zenit” position in Avdiivka on the southeast outskirts of the city.
During the night of February 17, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, made the decision to withdraw Ukrainian units from Avdiivka. In turn, Alexander Tarnavsky, the commander of the operational-strategic group “Tavria,” informed that the defensive forces had left Avdiivka for previously prepared positions.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy characterized the decision to withdraw Ukrainian forces from Avdiivka as professional and fair. Later, it became known that during the final stage of the operation, under the pressure of superior enemy forces, some Ukrainian servicemen fell into captivity during the withdrawal from Avdiivka.
Related:
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- Frontline report: Ukraine prioritizes preserving manpower over holding Avdiivka, withdrew troops
- Biden: Lack of ammunition forces Ukraine to retreat from Avdiivka
- Russo-Ukrainian war, day 725: Russia lost nearly 50,000 soldiers taking Avdiivka; Ukraine destroyed a Russian fighter jet and 12 drones overnight
- Russo-Ukrainian war, day 724: Ukraine withdraws forces from Avdiivka after months of bloody Russian attacks
- Why Avdiivka fell to Russia
