The fall of Avdiivka, a city that was once home to some 30,000 people but is now a smoking ruin, is the first major gain Russian forces have achieved since May of last year. After rebuffing a Ukrainian counteroffensive in the summer and fall, Russian forces in recent weeks have been pressing the attack across nearly the entire length of the 600-mile-long front.

The Ukrainian withdrawal on Saturday follows a bloody endgame that saw some of the fiercest fighting of the two-year-old war. Relying on its superiority in personnel and weaponry, Russia pounded the city with aerial bombardments and ground assaults, even as its fighters suffered a staggering amount of casualties.
Outgunned Ukrainian forces had begun withdrawing from positions in the southern part of the city on Wednesday, and since then have been engaged in a desperate battle to avoid encirclement inside the city as Russian forces advanced from multiple directions. As Russian bombers pummeled Avdiivka, Ukraine said its forces had targeted and shot down three Russian warplanes.
Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, the head of Ukraine’s forces in the south, said there had been no choice but to withdraw, given the Russian advantage in firepower and the number of soldiers Russia was willing to throw into the battle.

“In a situation where the enemy is advancing on the corpses of their own soldiers with a 10-to-1 shell advantage, under constant bombardment, this is the only correct solution,” he said in a statement.

The commander said that there were losses for the Ukrainians and “at the final stage of the operation, under pressure from the superior forces of the enemy, some Ukrainian servicemen fell into captivity.”

“Taking control of Avdiivka might create an opening for Russia,” he said.

He added, however, that Russian forces lacked large reserves of troops and equipment and were unlikely to be able to push further west of Avdiivka quickly and turn this week’s success into a major victory.

Soldiers reached by phone on Friday, who asked not to be identified given the ongoing military action, described a harrowing bid to escape the city. They gave accounts of racing past blasted-out buildings as shells thundered from all around and Russians pressed in from several directions.

“In one of the sectors in the town, fighters from the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade find themselves completely surrounded, but they are attempting to break through, and they succeed,” Maj. Rodion Kudryashov, deputy commander of the assault brigade, said in an interview with Radio Liberty.

Some expressed concern privately in interviews that the call to withdraw had come too late, or posted stark accounts on social media of their dangerous and chaotic retreat.

Sleepy Joe has failed Ukraine like most Americans knew he would.

Ezewuzie01:
Sleepy Joe has failed Ukraine like most Americans knew he would.

Despite all the sanctions on Russia, and the world against Russia

i feel really sorry for ukraine but russia is too strong

Bookhub:
i feel really sorry for ukraine but russia is too strong

The president should stop playing with the citizen's life, this is not a movie set, NATO is evil period!

Another big lies. no source ,no pix ,just lies

Mj4199:


The president should stop playing with the citizen's life, this is not a movie set, NATO is evil period!

So, you expect the president to surrender the sovereignty of their country to the invader? Ukraine is not a NATO member, and the aggression of Russia towards Ukraine and other weaker neighbouring countries is pushing them to run join NATO for their own protection.

Raf4:


So, you expect the president to surrender the sovereignty of their country to the invader? Ukraine is not a NATO member, and the aggression of Russia towards Ukraine and other weaker neighbouring countries is pushing them to run join NATO for their own protection.

Did Putin ask him to surrender?

Mj4199:
The fall of Avdiivka, a city that was once home to some 30,000 people but is now a smoking ruin, is the first major gain Russian forces have achieved since May of last year. After rebuffing a Ukrainian counteroffensive in the summer and fall, Russian forces in recent weeks have been pressing the attack across nearly the entire length of the 600-mile-long front.

The Ukrainian withdrawal on Saturday follows a bloody endgame that saw some of the fiercest fighting of the two-year-old war. Relying on its superiority in personnel and weaponry, Russia pounded the city with aerial bombardments and ground assaults, even as its fighters suffered a staggering amount of casualties.
Outgunned Ukrainian forces had begun withdrawing from positions in the southern part of the city on Wednesday, and since then have been engaged in a desperate battle to avoid encirclement inside the city as Russian forces advanced from multiple directions. As Russian bombers pummeled Avdiivka, Ukraine said its forces had targeted and shot down three Russian warplanes.
Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, the head of Ukraine’s forces in the south, said there had been no choice but to withdraw, given the Russian advantage in firepower and the number of soldiers Russia was willing to throw into the battle.

“In a situation where the enemy is advancing on the corpses of their own soldiers with a 10-to-1 shell advantage, under constant bombardment, this is the only correct solution,” he said in a statement.

The commander said that there were losses for the Ukrainians and “at the final stage of the operation, under pressure from the superior forces of the enemy, some Ukrainian servicemen fell into captivity.”

“Taking control of Avdiivka might create an opening for Russia,” he said.

He added, however, that Russian forces lacked large reserves of troops and equipment and were unlikely to be able to push further west of Avdiivka quickly and turn this week’s success into a major victory.

Soldiers reached by phone on Friday, who asked not to be identified given the ongoing military action, described a harrowing bid to escape the city. They gave accounts of racing past blasted-out buildings as shells thundered from all around and Russians pressed in from several directions.

“In one of the sectors in the town, fighters from the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade find themselves completely surrounded, but they are attempting to break through, and they succeed,” Maj. Rodion Kudryashov, deputy commander of the assault brigade, said in an interview with Radio Liberty.

Some expressed concern privately in interviews that the call to withdraw had come too late, or posted stark accounts on social media of their dangerous and chaotic retreat.

Ukraine can't stand a chance with Russia in military confrontation, the war you're watching is between NATO and her alliance against Russia.

Ukrainian citizen are worsen than the Libyans in reasoning.

Mj4199:

Despite all the sanctions on Russia, and the world against Russia

Russia still remains the top super power in Europe,ahead their G7 coalition.

Mj4199:


The president should stop playing with the citizen's life, this is not a movie set, NATO is evil period!

Ukrainian president knew the price before agreeing to it,he signed deal with the devil, NATO.

Gbogbowa:
Another big lies. no source ,no pix ,just lies

Illiterate hungry man.

Raf4:


So, you expect the president to surrender the sovereignty of their country to the invader? Ukraine is not a NATO member, and the aggression of Russia towards Ukraine and other weaker neighbouring countries is pushing them to run join NATO for their own protection.

Illiterate always want to feel like.....

Gbogbowa:
Another big lies. no source ,no pix ,just lies

Oga go and verify from your source even your western fake news have it

Beautifulday:


Did Putin ask him to surrender?

Ask him

This war was totally unnecessary if Ukraine had not invited NATO to come in. It all started with that dwarf clown alignment with NATO. Russia was then forced to act in self defense.
I wished there was something that could be done to stop the senseless and unnecessary death of Russian and Ukrainian men and women used as pawns.
The war was unnecessary.

alpharoyalty:
This war was totally unnecessary if Ukraine had not invited NATO to come in. It all started with that dwarf clown alignment with NATO. Russia was then forced to act in self defense.
I wished there was something that could be done to stop the senseless and unnecessary death of Russian and Ukrainian men and women used as pawns.
The war was unnecessary.

Both NATO and it's allies are using poor Ukraine as testing ground while North Korea are also doing same via Russia's end

That town was used by the Kosher Nazis to launch constant and indiscriminate artillery and missile strikes on civilian areas in the Doneskt oblast since 2014!


It was and remains a symbol of the genocidal war being waged on the breakaway Russian regions.


Heavily fortified for a ground assault but not immune from relentless Russian bombing.

Raf4:


So, you expect the president to surrender the sovereignty of their country to the invader? Ukraine is not a NATO member, and the aggression of Russia towards Ukraine and other weaker neighbouring countries is pushing them to run join NATO for their own protection.

The eastern parts of Ukraine conducted a referendum to leave Ukraine after the US coup.

The referendum was duly recognised by both Kiev and the breakaway regions in the Minsk agreement brokered by Germany .

But Kiev will later renegade on the agreement and start a brutal genocidal war using Banderist Azov militia that are known for their anti Russian racist ideology.


Zelensky campaigned on restoring both the Minsk agreement and recognising the breakaway oblasts to the east and also normalising relations with Russia.

When he got into office he did the very opposite and ramped up the attacks on the eastern oblasts while hosting NATO biolabs and opening talks to join NATO bloc.

The rest is history.

AntiZikist:



The eastern parts of Ukraine conducted a referendum to leave Ukraine after the US coup.

The referendum was duly recognised by both Kiev and the breakaway regions in the Minsk agreement brokered by Germany .

But Kiev will later renegade on the agreement and start a brutal genocidal war using Banderist Azov militia that are known for their anti Russian racist ideology.


Zelensky campaigned on restoring both the Minsk agreement and recognising the breakaway oblasts to the east and also normalising relations with Russia.

When he got into office he did the very opposite and ramped up the attacks on the eastern oblasts while hosting NATO biolabs and opening talks to join NATO bloc.

The rest is history.

You're right....this war is not necessary if NATO didn't get involved

Mj4199:

Despite all the sanctions on Russia, and the world against Russia

Which world is against Russia? The collective west isn't the world. The world is far bigger and stronger than the collective west.

Cabalgeneral:


Ukraine can't stand a chance with Russia in military confrontation, the war you're watching is between NATO and her alliance against Russia.

Ukrainian citizen are worsen than the Libyans in reasoning.

Correct.

AntiZikist:



The eastern parts of Ukraine conducted a referendum to leave Ukraine after the US coup.

The referendum was duly recognised by both Kiev and the breakaway regions in the Minsk agreement brokered by Germany .

But Kiev will later renegade on the agreement and start a brutal genocidal war using Banderist Azov militia that are known for their anti Russian racist ideology.


Zelensky campaigned on restoring both the Minsk agreement and recognising the breakaway oblasts to the east and also normalising relations with Russia.

When he got into office he did the very opposite and ramped up the attacks on the eastern oblasts while hosting NATO biolabs and opening talks to join NATO bloc.

The rest is history.

Before this happened, are you aware of the agreement between Ukraine and Russia when Ukraine transferred all their nuclear weapons to Russia? Did Russia keep to the agreement for up to 10years b4 breaking it and started attacking Ukraine territories?

Cabalgeneral:


Illiterate always want to feel like.....

....and a dingbat always wants to feel like......

Beautifulday:


Did Putin ask him to surrender?

Why did Putin invade their country?

Raf4:


Before this happened, are you aware of the agreement between Ukraine and Russia when Ukraine transferred all their nuclear weapons to Russia? Did Russia keep to the agreement for up to 10years b4 breaking it and started attacking Ukraine territories?

You are a fool and never ever mention or reply me again.


Idiot.

Raf4:


Why did Putin invade their country?

Tell us

Beautifulday:


Tell us

We don't know please tell us

Mj4199:

We don't know please tell us

Then shut up and go to rest

Beautifulday:


Tell us

Tell u what? Shebi you're supporting Putin's impunity

AntiZikist:



You are a fool and never ever mention or reply me again.


Idiot.

Your f@ther is a blooody-fool, you insane son of a b!tch