[NewsFront] 23:30 Air raid sirens are operating in four Ukrainian regions. This is evidenced by data from the official resource for alerting the population.
An air raid alert has been declared in Poltava, Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov and Sumy regions.
21:03 In Slavyansk (under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces) there is a strong influx in the area of the railway station, local social networks write. There is no official confirmation yet.
19:47 Zaporozhye Front, Kamensk direction
This section of the front “came to life.” There are artillery duels, many drones are flying on both sides.
19:31 The situation in the Rabotino-Verbovoye sector at 18.30, reports the Bulletin of the 1430th Motorized Rifle Regiment:
At the moment there are fierce battles near Rabotino. The forces of the 42nd Guards Motorized Rifle and 76th Guards Air Assault divisions of the Russian Armed Forces, under the cover of artillery fire, destroy Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers who are trying to hide in landings and strongholds.
Mortar crews and FPV drone operators strike at detected enemy personnel.
Russian aviation is carrying out massive attacks on strongholds of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Rabotino area and the outskirts of Orekhov with FAB-500 bombs with UPMK.
19:00 Consequences of the arrival of 5 HIMARS MLRS missiles into an apartment building in the village. Panteleimonovka, on the Donetsk-Gorlovka highway -photo.
18:52 Defeat of enemy armored vehicles in the Zaporozhye direction by fighters of the 3rd Motorized Rifle Brigade 70th Motorized Rifle Regiment -video.
18:37 Approximate visualization chronology of the offensive operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Avdievka.
17:50 Situation at the front as of 02/17/2024:
To the north-west of Sladkoe, five strong points in a forest belt were suppressed by artillery fire, and a blocked gap was destroyed. North of Vladimirovka, artillery fire destroyed a concentration of enemy military and military equipment in a forest belt. Two PVDs in Ugledar were partially destroyed, three strongholds were suppressed in the area of a dairy farm and in the territory of southern dachas south of Ugledar and north of Pavlovka.
Artillery defeated a concentration of enemy military and military equipment on the southern outskirts of Urozhainy, destroyed the air defense system, suppressed six strong points in forest belts - a dugout and a firing point were destroyed.
Three attempts to rotate personnel in strong points in forest belts west of Staromayorsky and southwest of Rovnopol were stopped.
The fire of artillery, tanks and combat vehicles destroyed seven air defense stations on the southwestern outskirts of Staromayorsky, and suppressed three strongholds in forest belts north-west of the settlement.
The enemy made an attempt to rotate personnel at a strong point in a forest belt north-west of Priyutnoye; fire from duty equipment destroyed the dugout where the rotation took place.
Three attempts to rotate the personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in strong points north-west of Lugovskoye and north-east of Dorozhnyanka were stopped.
17:17 Explosions are heard in the Dnepropetrovsk region, Ukrainian Telegram channels write about the work of air defense.
17:05 The enemy reports that the offensive of Russian troops has begun in the Zaporozhye direction (Rabotinsky ledge), points out military expert Boris Rozhin. The intensity of the fighting has increased sharply, and armored vehicles are being used.
16:47 Explosions in the Khar'kov region
16:29 Ukrainian Telegram channels report explosions in the Sumy region
16:20 Battle for Avdievka: withdrawal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the Avdeevka Coke Plant, Khimik and Lastochkino situation as of 16.00 February 17, 2024
More and more footage of the hoisting of the Russian flag over buildings abandoned by Ukrainian formations is appearing on the Internet. And now we can draw preliminary conclusions about the change in the configuration of the front.
Ukrainian positions at the Avdievka coke plant were partially abandoned (the Armed Forces of Ukraine moved to Orlovka). Pockets of resistance remain.
Control over high-rise buildings at least in the east of the AKHZ belongs to the RF Armed Forces.
Most likely, the enemy is gaining a foothold on the Berdychi-Semyonovka-Orlovka line. According to preliminary information, the village of Lastochkino has been abandoned by Ukrainian forces: it is under full fire control from the AKHZ, and it will not be possible to build a defense there.
The clearing of the Khimik microdistrict with high-rise buildings continues: scattered enemy groups may remain there in the same way. The territory from “Khimik” to Opytnyy is, with a high degree of probability, also deserted. The nearest enemy strongholds should be located east of Severny.
Reconnaissance operations are already underway in the direction of Lastochkino; most likely, in the near future the Russian army will make attempts to occupy the village and nearby territories. Clearing the liberated territories will take time: the main thing is that the assault units continue to move forward.
15:52 Ukrainian Telegram channels report explosions in the Kharkov region.
14:47 The Russian tricolor was hoisted over Avdievka Koksokhim -video.
14:37 Ukrainian Telegram channels report explosions in Kupyansk.
14:33 The railway station in Avdievka was taken by stormtroopers of the 35th Motorized Rifle Brigade -video.
14:25 Soldiers 239 Tank Regiment, 90 Tank Diision Russian flag on the Avdievka city administration building in the Khimik microdistrict.
13:40 Ukrainian media write about explosions in Kyiv-controlled Kherson.
13:05 At 13:00, battles were reported on the southern outskirts of the Avdeevsky coke-chemical plant, near a block of high-rise buildings, north-west of the “Tsar’s Hunt”, as well as clearing of the forest east of the coke-chemical plant. There are also battles at Lastochkino.
12:51 The enemy reports the advance of Russian troops on the Seversky ledge in the direction of Vyemka.
12:21 The head of the Kyiv regime, Vladimir Zelensky, confirmed that the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine decided to withdraw troops from Avdiivka.
11:56 Consequences artillery attack of the Kirovsky district of Donetsk, which resulted in the death of a civilian resident of the city. Presumably the artillery attack was carried out from the HIMARS MLRS
11:50 Statement of Head of the press center of the "South" group:
Units of the “Southern” group of troops in the Donetsk direction successfully repelled the attack of the assault group of the 59th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of the settlement of Nevelskoye, and subsequently, with the support of air strikes and artillery fire, occupying more advantageous lines and positions, defeated the enemy’s manpower and equipment. The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 210 military personnel killed and wounded.
A tank, an American-made 155mm M777 howitzer, a 122mm D-30 howitzer and three vehicles were hit by artillery guns, anti-tank missile systems and loitering ammunition.
Air defense systems shot down 35 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in the areas of the settlements of Novomikhailovka, Sladkoe, Artyomovsk, Kurdyumovka, Nikolaevka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
11:07 Downed helicopter of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Rabotino area -video.
11:05 The Russian Armed Forces carried out a massive strike at night on the settlements of Liptsy and Cherkasy/Russkie Tishki. It is reported that warehouses with ammunition and parking lots with MLRS loading vehicles were hit.
10:39 It is reported that the Russian army has reached the outskirts of the village Lastochkino near Avdievka.
09:50 Statement Head of the press center of the Vostok group:
Units of the Vostok group of troops continue to carry out combat missions in the South Donetsk direction.
Bomber strikes, artillery fire, and heavy flamethrower systems hit strongholds and manpower concentration areas of the 72nd mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Ugledar area.
Enemy losses amounted to more than 135 military personnel, a 152mm 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled gun, a 122mm D-30 howitzer and three vehicles.
09:34 The criminal Kiev regime continues to shell the civilian infrastructure of settlements on the left bank of the Kherson region, yesterday during the day the Ukrainian Armed Forces fired cannon artillery:
-- n.p. Alyosha five rounds;
-- n.p. Kazachi Lagery three rounds;
-- n.p. Golaya Pristan three rounds;
-- n.p. Staraya Zburevka two rounds;
-- n.p. Sagi five rounds.
During the night, the Kiev regime continued to shell civilian infrastructure in the village. Peschanivka, n.p. Korsunka, n.p. Aleshki, n.p. Dnepryany, n.p. Novaya Zburevka, firing a total of 20 rounds from cannon artillery.
Civilian casualties and destruction of infrastructure are being determined.
09:27 During the artillery attack of the Panteleimonovka VFU, three people were killed, among them a child born in 2009.
Also, four people were injured, among them a girl born in 2013. This was reported by the head of the Yasinovatsky municipal district, Dmitry Shevchenko.
He added that the data on casualties as a result of the barbaric attack is not final. The rubble is being cleared.
08:47 Front-line report from Oleg Tsarev on the morning of February 17:
There are no changes in the Kherson and Zaporozhye directions - oncoming battles. The Russian army advanced on the Vremevsky ledge - to the west from the outskirts of Novodonetsk.
On the Donetsk front, Russian troops are intensifying their offensive in Novomikhailovka. The attacks are coming from the eastern part of the village to the center. Stubborn fighting continues in Georgievka.
The culmination of the battles for Avdievka. Last night and morning, the Russian military literally collapsed the defenses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the southern outskirts of Avdievka. The Donetsk filtration station, the Zenit and Cheburashka fortified areas came under the control of the Russian armed forces. On the northern side, a Russian flag is hoisted above the stele at the entrance to the city.
Meanwhile, the Russian army continues its offensive. Now our troops are approaching Lastochkino. The southern and northern groups are moving towards each other. There was about one km left before the advanced units met. For the plan to succeed, ours will have to carefully monitor the situation on the flanks, providing cover for the advancing units. This will help avoid a flank attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which they may try to inflict. The next target of our army will probably be AKHZ.
In the Artemovsk direction in the Vesyoloye area, our troops are actively advancing along the railway line. They also establish themselves in a fairly large area in the forest south of the Popovsky Forest.
From the Seversky direction we receive footage of an attack by our drone operators from the Aida group on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the territory of the chalk plant near Belogorovka. The soldiers track the slightest movement in the ruins of the enterprise. The enemy is not going to give up, he is retreating, but only tactically - for subsequent counterattacks from more advantageous positions.
The coverage of Sin'kovka by the Russian armed forces is developing. After recent successful attacks from the northwestern outskirts, ours managed to advance in the northeast. They are marching on a broad front, uniting with the southern front of the village of Ol'shana.
The Russian military carried out many strikes on the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Volchansk, from where, among other things, there were attacks on Belgorod.
08:20 Battle for Avdievka: surrender of the city by the Ukrainian command situation as of the morning of February 17, 2024
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Alexander Syrsky announced the decision taken by the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to leave Avdiivka in order to save the lives of Ukrainian military personnel and occupy more advantageous defense lines.
The Ukrainian group of troops “Tavria” announced that troops had already been withdrawn from Avdievka. In fact, this is not so: pockets of resistance remain in the city, numerous groups of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have lost contact and control, so they may not even know about the corresponding decision.
The weakly organized flight of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with losses went through the fields in the direction of Lastochkino along the Durnaya gully and the surrounding area. The approaches to Lastochkino and the exit from the gully were mined by the Russian “Agriculture” system on February 15, so exit was possible only through the bodies of Ukrainian military personnel.
As darkness fell, Russian troops stormed a reinforced concrete plant in the city center and continued to advance.
It is unlikely that they will leave the Avdievka coke plant, nor will they retreat further than Lastochkino: the Ukrainian formations had enough time to equip reserve positions.
If the Ukrainian Armed Forces cling to AKHZ, the commander of the operation, Lieutenant General Andrei Mordvichev, will most likely decide to bypass it and starve it out. Everything is similar to the Ilyich plant and Azovstal in Mariupol: there he made a similar decision.
Clearing the city will take at least several days: it is necessary to clear the mines and thoroughly inspect the residential areas.
08:10 February 16, naval infantry of the Vostok group north of the village. Shevchenko reflected enemy attack, in which up to a company of Ukrainian Armed Forces military personnel took part. Having met stubborn resistance, the enemy was forced to retreat.
However, the naval infantry did not stop there. With the help of artillery and unmanned aircraft, a retaliatory strike was carried out on the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, during which more than 20 Ukrainian combatants and one armored vehicle were hit.
08:07 Su-25 attack aircraft hit against camouflaged equipment and manpower of the enemy in the Donetsk direction. According to the report of the forward air gunners, the target was successfully hit.
08:03 Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Syrsky announced the surrender of Avdievka and the retreat of the remaining forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the city. Thus, the enemy officially admitted defeat in the battle for Avdievka.