Ukrainian forces have pulled out of the eastern city of Avdiivka to prevent being surrounded, according to army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. This move represents a significant shift on the frontlines, surpassing the previous change when Russian forces gained control of Bakhmut in May of the preceding year.
Syrskyi, who recently assumed the position, explained in a Facebook post on Saturday that the decision was made to “preserve the lives and health of servicemen”, stabilize the situation, and relocate troops to more advantageous defensive positions.
“Our soldiers performed their military duty with dignity, did everything possible to destroy the best Russian military units, [and] inflicted significant losses on the enemy in terms of manpower and equipment,” he claimed. “The life of military personnel is [of] the highest value.”
The day before, the Ukrainian military leader overseeing operations in the southeast of the country had announced that Ukrainian forces had pulled back from certain positions within the town.
“New positions have been prepared and powerful fortifications continue to be prepared, taking into account all possible scenarios,” Oleksandr Tarnavskiy said in a post on social media on Friday.
In a statement released on Saturday, shortly following Syrskyi’s announcement, he said, “In a situation where the enemy is advancing on the corpses of their own soldiers with a ten-to-one shell advantage, under constant bombardment, this [withdrawal] is the only correct solution.”
THE BIG PICTURE
With the impending two-year anniversary of the war, Ukrainian forces find themselves facing significant challenges along the frontlines. They are grappling with diminished and fatigued ranks, exacerbated by a shortage of artillery shells, which has been further complicated by the delay in receiving a substantial funding package from the United States.
On Thursday, President Joe Biden cautioned that Avdiivka was at risk of being captured by Russian forces due to a lack of ammunition, which persisted for months due to opposition from Republican members of Congress against the aid package. Although Avdiivka had been under relentless bombardment by the Russians for an extended period, it was only in the recent weeks that they achieved notable progress, with small units of advancing troops entering the city.
Syrskyi, appointed just last week, had deployed additional forces to support the defense of Avdiivka. However, statements from Tarnavskiy indicated that Kiev might be contemplating a withdrawal from the city, as it was reportedly encircled on three sides by Russian forces.
If Russia were to control Avdiivka, it would grant them complete dominance over the region encompassing Donetsk. This strategic move would reportedly serve as a victory for Vladimir Putin as he gears up for an upcoming election that will extend his term in office by another six years. — Al Mayadeen English
