The Ukrainian army has experienced a setback in their conflict with Russian forces, as they were forced to withdraw from the fiercely contested city of Avdiivka. The decision to withdraw was made by Ukraine’s new commander-in-chief, Alexander Syrskyj, who announced the decision on social media platforms including Facebook.
“Considering the operational situation around Avdiivka, I decided to withdraw our units from the city and go into defense on more favorable lines, in order to avoid encirclement and protect the life and health of soldiers,” Syrskyj wrote. He also pledged that the army would return to the city eventually.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is anticipated to attend the 60th Munich Security Conference. The conference is currently overshadowed by reports of the death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny in a Russian prison.
Russian forces have been attempting to seize Avdiivka since October 2023, with heavy casualties. The city, previously an industrial hub, has been a Ukrainian stronghold near the Russian-dominated capital of the coal and steel district of Donbass since 2014.
The Ukrainian army’s withdrawal from Avdiivka is the biggest setback since they had to give up the city of Bakhmut in the spring of 2023. The frontline now extends over more than 1000 kilometers.
Syrskyj stated that the soldiers had fulfilled their duty with honor and had inflicted significant losses on the enemy. “We are taking measures to stabilize the situation and maintain our positions. The lives of military personnel are the highest value,” he wrote.
The commanding general for this sector of the front, Alexander Tarnavskyj, justified the withdrawal, stating, “In a situation where the enemy is advancing under constant bombardment over the corpses of his own soldiers and has a ten to one advantage, this is the only correct decision.”
The Ukrainian defenders in the city have been facing increasingly challenging conditions, fighting back under “inhumane conditions.” The press service of the 110th brigade of the Ukrainian army, deployed in Avdiivka, reported that the enemy was deploying significant forces, including personnel, armored vehicles, and aircraft.
According to the ISW experts, Russian troops have been advancing from multiple directions, potentially indicating the Ukrainian forces’ encirclement unless they withdraw or mount successful counterattacks. The Ukrainian side had reported earlier that its troops were withdrawing from some advanced positions, and that reinforcements would be sent to threatened areas.
