Threat of encirclement

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Ukrainian soldiers on an armored vehicle near the city (archive photo)

(Bild: APA/AFP/Genya SAVILOV)

A setback for Kiev: in the war against the Russian invaders, the Ukrainian army has been forced to withdraw from the town of Avdiivka, which has been heavily contested for months. However, the army apparently does not want to give up the town. The new commander-in-chief, Olexander Syrskyj, is optimistic that they will return.

"In view of the operational situation around Avdiivka, I have decided to withdraw our units from the city and go to the defense on more favorable lines in order to avoid encirclement and protect the lives and health of soldiers," Syrskyj wrote on social media early Saturday morning.

Biggest setback since the fall of Bachmut
Russian troops have been trying to capture Avdiivka since October 2023, suffering heavy losses. The former industrial city had been a Ukrainian outpost in the immediate vicinity of Donetsk, the Russian-controlled capital of the Donbass coal and steel region, since 2014. The conquest of the city by Russian troops would not be strategically significant, but it could be exploited by the Kremlin for propaganda purposes ahead of the Russian presidential election in March, wrote experts from the US Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The last time Ukraine had to give up the city of Bakhmut, which had also been fought over for months, was in spring 2023. The fall of Avdiivka is the biggest setback for Ukraine since then.

Commander-in-chief Syrskyj (m.) has ordered the withdrawal.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Armed Forces of Ukraine/Handout)

Syrskyj went on to write that the soldiers fulfilled their military duty with dignity and did everything "to destroy the best Russian military units"; they inflicted considerable losses on the enemy in terms of personnel and equipment. "We are taking measures to stabilize the situation and hold our positions." The lives of military personnel are the highest value.

"Enemy advances over dead bodies of own soldiers"
The commanding general for this section of the front, Olexander Tarnavsky, wrote on Telegram that the army had left Avdiivka in accordance with orders and had reached the prepared positions. "In a situation where the enemy is advancing over the corpses of its own soldiers under constant bombardment and has a ten-to-one advantage, this is the only correct decision," he wrote. The encirclement had been prevented, the personnel had been withdrawn and the soldiers were taking up the defense on the designated lines.

Over the past few days, the situation for the Ukrainian defenders in the city had become increasingly difficult. The Ukrainian defenders were defending themselves under "inhumane conditions", according to the press service of the 110th Brigade of the Ukrainian army deployed in Avdiivka on Friday. "Today, the enemy is throwing enormous forces in the form of personnel, armored vehicles and aircraft towards Avdiivka."

Encirclement was imminent
Russian troops had advanced from several sides, the ISW experts analyzed in their daily report for Thursday. Photos show that Russian troops are advancing from the north at the large coking plant in Avdiivka. In the south of the city, an important Ukrainian fortified defense system had been captured. "Russian troops can complete the encirclement of some Ukrainian forces if the Ukrainian troops do not retreat or launch successful counterattacks," the observers concluded.

"Saving lives has top priority"
The Ukrainian side had already reported on Thursday that its troops were withdrawing from some forward positions. Brigadier General Tarnawskyj said that reinforcements were still being brought into threatened areas. But he also said that new positions were being prepared. "We value every piece of Ukrainian soil, but the highest value and priority for us is to save the lives of Ukrainian soldiers," the general wrote on Telegram.