Ukrainian troops have decided to withdraw from the embattled frontline city of Avdiivka to avoid being surrounded by Russian forces, announced the new military leader Oleksandr Syrsky on Saturday. This move marks a significant symbolic victory for Russia, following Kiev's unsuccessful summer counter-offensive.
Russia has been striving to capture Avdiivka for several months. This retreat by Ukrainian troops is the most notable territorial gain for Russian forces since they took control of the eastern city of Bakhmut last May, occurring just before the second anniversary of the invasion.
"I have chosen to pull our units out of the city and transition to a defensive position along more advantageous lines," Syrsky stated on Facebook. He praised the soldiers for their efforts in battling Russian forces and causing significant losses to the enemy.
This marks the first major decision by Syrsky since assuming his role on February 8, with the primary aim being to safeguard the lives of the soldiers and prevent their encirclement.
Ukraine has been facing mounting pressure on the eastern front due to ammunition shortages, compounded by delays in a potential $60 billion U.S. military aid package that has been held up in Washington since last year amid congressional disputes.
General Oleksandr Tarnavsky, who leads the Avdiivka area, confirmed the withdrawal from the city to establish a more defensible position. "Given the circumstances of the enemy's advancement and overwhelming shelling, this was the only viable choice," he communicated via Telegram. He emphasized that the move prevented encirclement, allowing personnel to retreat and regroup at designated defensive lines.
Prior to the withdrawal, Tarnavsky reported on Friday that several Ukrainian soldiers had been captured by Russian forces during the ongoing conflict.
The battle for Avdiivka, located less than 10 kilometers north of the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk, has been one of the deadliest of the two-year war, akin to the previous battle for Bakhmut. Despite significant destruction, a portion of the city's population, estimated around 1,000 residents, remains.
Avdiivka holds symbolic significance, and its capture is hoped by Moscow to hinder Ukraine's operations against Donetsk. The city lies in the Donetsk region, which Russia claims as its own following a 2022 annexation, though this claim remains unrecognized by nearly all United Nations members.
Following Kiev's failed counter-offensive in the summer, Russian forces intensified their attacks, confronting a Ukrainian army struggling to replenish its ranks and facing ammunition shortages.
The fall of Avdiivka coincides with President Volodymyr Zelensky's European tour to secure vital military aid. Zelensky signed bilateral security agreements with France and Germany on Friday to bolster support for Ukraine's struggle against Russia, including military assistance.
As the conflict in Ukraine enters its third year, Zelensky is expected to appeal for further financial and military aid at the Munich Security Conference, where global leaders, including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, have convened.
Meanwhile, Republican opposition in the U.S. House of Representatives is hindering the authorization of $60 billion in new military aid for Ukraine. An institute monitoring aid provision estimates that the European Union will need to double its military support to Ukraine to compensate for the U.S. shortfall.
The Kiel Institute, based in Germany, reported that the uncertainty remains high regarding whether the U.S. will provide additional military aid in 2024. Between February 2022 and December 2023, the U.S. supplied approximately €42.2 billion ($45.4 billion) in military aid to Ukraine at a rate of around €2 billion per month. The European Union and its 27 members have pledged €49.7 billion in military aid since the war's onset, but only €35.2 billion has been delivered or allocated thus far.
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