Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[LB] On February 17, the Defense Forces of Ukraine left Avdiyivka and moved to defense on other fronts - this decision was made by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi.
We will tell what the city was for the Ukrainian defenders and what changes its loss.
by Viktor Kevlyuk
Avdievka is a city with an area of 29 km², part of the Donetsk-Makiiv agglomeration, with a pre-war population of 32,000 people. There is information that 900 people remain in the city to this day. Positions around the city allow you to control the northern outskirts of Donetsk and Yasynuvata, the southern outskirts of Horlivka, the Donetsk-Horlivka expressway. Yasinuvata is a powerful railway junction on which the enemy's logistics are tied.
Russian proxies captured the city in April 2014, where they proclaimed something there, but they were pushed out during an anti-terrorist operation by 56 infantrymen of the 5th company of the 2nd Battalion Tactical Group of the Kholodny Yar brigade and volunteers of the Right Sector led by Da Vinci on July 28, 2014 year The city was finally liberated on July 30.
After the liberation, Avdievka remained one of the hottest points on the front line for a long time. After Minsk-2, the industrial zone in the southeast of Avdievka became a de facto buffer zone between law and lawlessness. The battles for DAP somewhat overshadowed Avdiivka in those years, but many ATO veterans remember the battles for private development in the garden society, for the ventilation shaft of the "Butivka" mine and the Avdiivka industrial zone. Do you remember the Prombergs? They are from there.
In 2016, the fighting for the Avdiivska promka reached its peak in the spring of 2016, after which the Armed Forces gradually pushed Russian forces south to the highway. Fierce contact battles at distances of 50-70 m were conducted by the "Black Zaporozhians", they suffered losses, they had to urgently collect the assembled company from the "Edelweiss", which had just left for rest and recovery, and fly them to the industrial zone. Then the task was completed.
In general, during the battles around Avdiivka, the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, 58th Separate Mechanized Infantry Brigade, 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade, 81st Separate Airmobile Brigade, 13th Separate Mechanized Infantry Brigade, consolidated units of the 184th and 199th Training centers, 55th OABR, 12th Police Station, volunteers from the "Right Sector".
Some information to understand the last days of the city's defense: the distance to Donetsk is 13 km by road. The city stretches from the northwest to the southeast, measuring approximately 8 by 8 km, conventionally divided into districts: the old city (east of the railway, former Avdiivka-I, private development), microdistricts: Central, Eastern, Railway, 9th quarter, " Yuvileyniy", "Builders" and the village "Khimik" (former name - Avdiivka-II, high-rise building).
The stability of our defense depended (and partly depends even now) on maintaining positions in "Khimik" and the 9th quarter. The city-building enterprise is the Avdiiv Coke Chemical Plant, the largest producer of coke in Europe. Was There are three main roads: T0505 Avdiivka - Donetsk, O0542 Yasinuvata - Zhelanne (the main logistical route of the defenders of Avdiivka), M04, also known as the Donetsk bypass.
From the beginning of the invasion, the enemy tried to push the threat away from Donetsk and made efforts to eliminate our defense area in Avdiivka. The original plan of the enemy command envisaged an operational encirclement, for which he tried to break through Stepove and Berdychi to Orlivka from the north and to the same place - from Vodyanyi and Opytny through Severny. Stepove, Berdychi, Orlivka, Severny - and Ukraine today. Nothing worked out with the operational encirclement, so the enemy launched an easier option - to break through to Avdiivka and cut through the defense of the Tavria anti-aircraft missile defense system, forcing them to retreat from the city.
The first shelling after the Russian invasion was on AKHZ on March 17, 2022. Attempts to surround the city began on July 28, 2022, but the active phase began on October 10, 2023. In October-November alone, the enemy lost 10,000 of his soldiers here, more than 100 tanks, 250 BBMs of various types, about 50 artillery systems and 7 Su-25 aircraft.
To capture Avdiyivka in early 2024, the enemy concentrated here the entire Donetsk 1st Army Corps (1st, 5th, 9th, 110th, 114th, 132nd Territorial defense brigades), the 2nd Army Corps (15- a, 21st and 30th Separate Motorized brigades), Russian 41st army (35th, 55th, 74th Motorized Rifle brigades).
I note that the Donetsk 1st Army Corps is more powerful than both of these armies, only it does not have a missile brigade. Let me summarize: a city 8 by 8 km, with a suburban area of 10 by 10 km, a gloomy swamp military genius decided to storm, taking into account every little thing, the troops of TWO ARMIES and a CORPS, bigger than both of them together. Some 40,000 personnel of the occupier were concentrated for the storming of the city.
To understand the geometry of the battlefield: the brigade defends an area up to 20 km along the front and up to 10 km in depth.
The basis of the defense of the "Tavria" air defense system in Avdievka is the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Colonel-General Mark Bezruchka from the Reserve Corps. Once again, for those who read inattentively, from the Reserve Corps, that is, until February 22, 2024, the brigade did not exist in nature. The brigade occupied the defense in Avdiivka at the end of March 2022.
In personalities: the commander of the 2nd Army, Major General Vyacheslav Gurov, the commander of the Russian 41st Army, Lieutenant General Serhiy Ryzhkov, and the commander of the Donetsk 1st Corps, Major General Serhiy Primakov, could not defeat the Hero of Ukraine, the commander of the 110th Brigade, Colonel Mykola Chumaka
At the end of January, the enemy's tactics began to slide towards the well-known "Bakhmut-Soledar-Lysychansk-Lyman" - the realization of numerical superiority with the support of artillery and airstrikes, which simply destroy the positions and at the same time - the entire building. No pretense and tactical highlights.
Although it is worth recalling the passage of a group of 150 enemy fighters through a drain pipe to the rear of our positions in the vicinity of the "Tsarska Okhota" complex. Of course, this is our goal - the terrain where you are fighting must be studied, including communications. In general, the tactical technique is interesting: the sounds of the cutters, which were used to make holes for the passage, were drowned out by the fire of mortars.
The situation became most critical on February 14-15. Russian troops began to change the direction of their main attack, focusing on breaking through the city and creating the conditions to push the 110th Separate Territorial defense Brigade of the Defense Forces out of the settlement.
On February 15, the enemy advanced to the southern outskirts of the Avdievka coke plant in the northwest of Avdievka, cut the last road to Avdievka that connected the southern and northern parts of the city, trying to disrupt logistics, but units of the "Tavria" OSUV used reserve routes from Lastochkino and Severny.
On the same day, units of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade (Azovites)
arrived in the city and began a complex of measures to ensure the withdrawal of troops from the city.
On February 16, our troops leave the "Zenith" position (the former PPD of the anti-aircraft missile regiment of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces) and the ATP-100 area.
The enemy made some conclusions for himself and did not try to get bogged down in the assaults of AKHZ and other well-fortified positions, refused to take actions on the encirclement, got rid of the dream of inflicting maximum losses on the defenders of Avdiyivka. That is, the enemy's command is confident only that it and its troops are capable of confidently solving only tactical tasks and are not capable of something larger.
Let's summarize:
- the capture of Avdiyivka by the enemy has no operational significance, in itself it does not provide any operationally significant advantages and does not open the way for operationally significant advances;
- the Putinists will stir up fanfare and will for some time trumpet about another "magical victory" (reality: two armies and a corps defeated one brigade for six months and eventually squeezed it out of the city). This event should become one of the cornerstones of the pre-election rhetoric of the team of the Kremlin vice-emperor. This "victory" will be sold to the electorate as a significant victory that will strengthen control over the "new territories of the Russian Federation";
- Russian ultra-nationalists and other Great Russian code will sing about "securing the "capital of the DPR" from the attacks of Ukrainian fascists";
- to the next nearest city - Pokrovska - 47 km in a straight line or 60 - by road, most of the settlements from Avdievka to the west are fortified and prepared for defense, one should think that a defensive line has been prepared (it is worth checking), so the enemy will not advance there fast, not easy. We will have to advance in open terrain, so the losses will be significant;
- the enemy suffered huge losses in the battles for Avdievka, so he will not immediately be able to proceed to the next stage of the operation - to enter the administrative border of the Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions, he will need a long period of recovery;
- along with this, the enemy has good prospects for local tactical gains in the areas of Berdychi, Lastochkin, Severny and Pervomaisky;
- the decision to withdraw from Avdiyivka was made by the tactical situation, not by the Zaluzhny-Syrskyi-Tarnavskyi-Chumak-Anglo-Saxons-who are in control of the army. The Command of the Defense Forces made the right and timely decision to withdraw, albeit an unpopular one;
- a certain number of Ukrainian soldiers were captured during the retreat, of course we leave behind a certain amount of equipment and supplies that could not be evacuated. It's a shame;
- the pace of the enemy's advance in Avdiivka shows that the units of the "Tavria" OSUV are withdrawing in a relatively organized manner, putting up resistance, and all the statements of Russian propaganda about "escape" are empty chatter;
- geolocation shows that there is about 3.5 km between the northern (114th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade) and southern (35th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade) claws of the Russian "encirclement", that is, ours will come out. General Tarnavskyi, the commander of the "Tavria" anti-aircraft defense unit, stated that as of 1:00 p.m. on February 16, no Ukrainian unit was surrounded. Our 3rd oshbr conducted several counterattacks, pushing the enemy's 114th and 74th Separate Territorial Defense rigades away from the exit corridors.
ABOUT STRATEGY. IT'S TIME FOR LIONS TO RISE
We thank the 47th, 72nd, 110th, 115th Separate Mechanized brigades, 71st Oebr, 3rd Separate Assault Brigade (Azov), 109th, 116th Separate Territorial Defense brigades, 6th, 52nd OSB, 1st, 503rd Obmp, 53rd Separate mechanized Brigade, 59th Separate Infantry Rifle Brigade, 225th oshb, 104th, 147th Separate Territorial Defense brigades, National Police Regiment "Kyiv", units of the Russian Volunteer Corps, which at different times joined the defense of Avdievka and fulfilled their tasks worthily.
YOU CAN'T MISS A SPOONFUL OF TAR. ENGINEERING SUPPORT OF THE OPERATION.
When the front fell in the summer of 1941, the Headquarters of the General Staff of the USSR made a decision to form 10 sapper armies with 2-4 sapper brigades in each. 19 separate sapper battalions in each brigade (staff number 012/93, 497 servicemen in the battalion). 9,979 servicemen in the brigade. Small arms - for 5% of personnel, but everyone has a shovel. Their forces were equipped with strategic rear defense lines - a system of battalion defense areas prepared in terms of fortification and company strongholds, created on the main directions of the enemy's probable advance and on defensive perimeters around large cities. At first, in a number of areas, including in the Stalingrad, North Caucasus, and Volga Military Districts, these boundaries were drawn up continuously. That is, formally speaking, 10 armies, some 300,000 sappers, in 1941-42 DUG THE SOVIET UNION FROM THE WHITE SEA TO THE BLACK SEA.
What do we have? Does the stake see this urgent need to dig, fill with concrete, mine? Our offensive in the Azov region seems to have shown the whole world that the time of trenches has not yet passed. What did he show us?
In 1941, the construction of all defense lines was managed by the Main Military Engineering Department of the People's Commissariat of Defense of the Union of the SSR. Maybe it's time to mention it?
On November 28, 1941, the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command issued order No. 0450 "On the underestimation of the engineering service and the improper use of engineering troops and means." There are two engineer brigades and 6 engineer regiments within our Command of Support Forces and Operational Commands. Their capabilities do not allow them to perform the entire range of tasks of operational support, neither in the interests of the operation of the operational group, nor, even more so, operational-strategic. Their number should be at least doubled. But in 2015, we were held back by the limit on the number of armed forces. What's stopping you now?
Defense Minister of Ukraine Rustem Umyerov emphasized : "Our lessons learned regarding Avdiyivka: modern air defense systems are needed so that the enemy cannot use anti-aircraft missiles, long-range weapons are needed to destroy enemy warehouses, artillery shells are needed. We build and strengthen fortifications." But it is not clear whether at least a strategic defensive line will appear.
Meanwhile, Russia announced plans to place nuclear weapons in Earth orbit. I don't know whether to laugh or cry...
#1
"Defense Forces of Ukraine left Avdiyivka and moved to defense on other fronts", Suffering huge losses as they flee. Leadership gone. Bodies of Ukrainians litter the fields. Basic needs gone to fight on. Russians will press on. Fighting for the motherland is in their blood. With Germany at WW11's end total and complete surrender. Now near end they talk of fighting defensively. They squandered all to fight aggressively. Reminds me of General Lee.
#3
Well, Daffy Hapsburg 3823, someday we must sit down with a bottle of good, single malt Scotch, and talk about the power of the Russian Orthodox Church on the citizens of Russia and how it helps them defeat those who woould try to take over their country be they Germany, Poland, France or Boll Browder.
Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title
[Korrespondent] 22:35 In Kupyansk, rescuers unblocked the body of a deceased person from under the rubble of a two-story house, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OBA. Five more people were injured.
22:32 The Russians shelled Slavyansk and Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region, the President’s Office reported. In Kramatorsk, missiles hit an industrial zone and the private sector - probably, under the rubble of one of the houses there is a family of four, including two teenagers. Two houses were destroyed, 23 more were damaged. In Slavyansk, a shell hit a school - there may be one person under the rubble.
22:28 The United States views the transfer of Avdiivka to the control of Russian troops as “payment for the inaction of Congress,” said White House National Security Council Speaker Adrienne Watson.
21:46 The Moldovan border police reported that they found the wreckage of the Russian Shahed drone 2 km from the border with Ukraine, there is no danger to citizens.
21:37 Zelensky held a meeting with Czech President Petr Pavel - they discussed defense support for Ukraine, strengthening cooperation between the defense-industrial complexes of the two countries, and joint production of weapons.
21:29 Zelensky said that at the Munich conference he spoke by phone with Biden - they discussed the situation on the battlefield, and agreed to maintain contact in connection with the approaching second anniversary of the start of a full-scale invasion. The Ukrainian president also met with a delegation from the US House of Representatives from the Republican and Democratic parties and expressed hope that the House of Representatives would adopt a bill to help Ukraine.
20:58 Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte said that the process of transferring the F-16 to Ukraine is on schedule, at least 24 fighters will be delivered. “We hope to deliver them as soon as possible... There is progress in these matters. We are, in principle, on schedule. So this is good news,” Rutte said.
20:53 Russia has probably begun to use the latest Kh-69 cruise missiles for attacks on Ukraine; their carrier could be the Su-57, writes the specialized publication The War Zone. The maximum destruction range is 290 km, flight speed is about 700-1000 km per hour. Last February, the International Institute for Strategic Studies said the X-69 was believed to be in the final stages of development or production. According to analysts, such a missile was shot down during a massive attack on February 7.
20:51 The German defense concern Rheinmetall will open a plant for the production of shells in Ukraine - the corresponding memorandum on the creation of a joint venture was signed during the Munich Security Conference.
In Ukraine? So after this is over, Ukraine will be able to provide shells to the EU, supplying future need.
20:26 The Russians are intensively shelling the Kharkov region, deliberately hitting civilian infrastructure. Today alone, more than 20 strikes were carried out, most of them in the Kupyansky direction, said the head of the OVA Oleg Sinegubov. In Kupyansk, a two-story house was destroyed and at least five private houses around were damaged. To date, five people are known to be injured; there may still be people under the rubble.
In the village Prikolotnoye and s. Two educational institutions were destroyed in Chernoe, Kupyansky district; in Tsirkuny, Kharkov region, there was an attempt to strike a civilian enterprise with S-300 missiles.
18:38 The United States will transfer about $500 thousand of confiscated Russian assets to Estonia, and Estonia will spend it on restoring the Ukrainian power grid, the justice ministries of the two countries report. The funds were confiscated in the case of an illegal procurement network, but they cannot be transferred directly to Ukraine. This is the first such transfer of money from the United States to a foreign ally to help Ukraine.
18:32 The Czech Republic has found 800 thousand artillery shells for Ukraine in third countries, which can be transferred to Kiev “in the coming weeks,” President Petr Pavel said. He clarified that we are talking about 500 thousand shells of 155 mm caliber and 300 thousand shells of 122 mm caliber. The President of the Czech Republic added that financing still needs to be found for their purchase.
18:07 The Russians fired mortars at the civilian infrastructure of the Khotyn community of the Sumy region - one person died in the village. Kondratovka, a 15-year-old teenager was also wounded, the prosecutor's office said.
17:18 The UK, together with the US and other allies, is working to provide Ukraine with thousands of new drones with artificial intelligence that could attack Russian targets in swarms, Bloomberg writes, citing sources. It is believed that such technology could allow Ukraine to suppress certain Russian positions using UAVs. This should also help the Ukrainian Armed Forces compensate for the lack of shells.
16:51 The Russians shelled Kherson several times during the day - one person was killed, three were wounded, the OVA reported. Two more people were injured in Antonovka, where the enemy dropped explosives from a drone on a residential building. In one of the villages of the Daryevsk community, drones hit a minibus of a humanitarian aid center, as well as water supply facilities.
15:56 Zelensky said that during a meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, they discussed further defense support for Ukraine, the needs for air defense and artillery, and successful work on a draft bilateral security agreement.
15:42 Ukrainian-made combat armored cars Sikach and Kharakternik have proven themselves well in combat conditions, in particular in Avdievka, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense reported. According to the department, GUR special forces as part of the Defense Forces defended the last road from Avdeevka for a week, inflicting “colossal losses” on the constantly advancing assault units of the Russians. The special forces also provided an evacuation corridor. Now they are holding the defense in previously prepared positions.
14:27 Defense Minister Rustem Umerov named the main lessons that Ukraine learned from the situation in Avdeevka: “We need modern air defense systems so that the enemy cannot use air defense systems. We need long-range weapons to destroy enemy warehouses. We need artillery shells. We are working on this constantly. We are building and strengthening fortifications. The decision to protect people is correct. We will return Avdeevka."
13:38 Zelensky said that during a meeting with Danish Prime Minister Matte Frederiksen in Munich, they discussed the preparation of a bilateral security agreement, defense support for Ukraine, and the involvement of Denmark in the joint production of drones.
13:20 The commander of the Tavria group of troops, Alexander Tarnavsky, said that the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Avdiivka took place “in accordance with a plan developed taking into account various scenarios and a possible change in the operational situation,” but at the final stage, “a certain number” of Ukrainian military personnel were captured.
12:59 On the morning of February 17, the air force destroyed three Russian aircraft in the Eastern direction at once - two Su-34 fighter-bombers and one Su-35 fighter, said Nikolai Oleshchuk, commander of the Armed Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
12:34 In the Zaporozhye region, near the village of Natalevka, an explosion occurred during an air raid - the head of the Air Force, Ivan Fedorov, reported that an infrastructure facility on the outskirts of the regional center was hit.
11:41 Ukraine this year will “surprise” the Russian Federation with drone systems and electronic warfare systems, Zelensky said: “We have begun to develop the production of drones. We are positive for us and negative for the Russian Federation, we will surprise them this year with drone systems and electronic warfare systems. These are our domestic technologies "But this is a parallel path while we wait for help from partners."
The president also said that he could not name Ukraine’s losses in the war, but “in Avdiivka, I can tell you that it was one in seven - for every Ukrainian there are seven Russians.” Zelensky also said that if Trump comes to Ukraine, he is ready to go to the front with him to show “what a real war looks like - not a war on Instagram, but a real war.”
11:26 The “Drone Coalition” officially launched as part of the work of the Contact Group on the Defense of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense reported. The head of the department, Rustem Umerov, signed a corresponding letter of intent and expressed gratitude to the coalition's co-leaders - Latvia and Great Britain. In addition to them and Ukraine, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Estonia and the Netherlands have already joined the coalition.
11:10 Zelensky called the decision to withdraw troops from Avdiivka correct. According to him, the Defense Forces have been depleting the resources of the Russians there since October and have completed their task - the Russian Federation has lost tens of thousands of military personnel. Zelensky also said that Ukraine needs long-range weapons to further wage the war.
11:04 After the murder of Navalny, it would be absurd to perceive Putin as the legitimate leader of the Russian state, Zelensky said at the Munich conference: “He is a thug who retains power through corruption and violence... You can have different attitudes towards international institutions, but the ICC warrant clearly demonstrates that "Where Putin's career should end. He has only two options - be in the dock or be killed by one of his henchmen." The Ukrainian president emphasized that it is not “something” that needs to be done, but everything possible to defeat the aggressor: “Please remember that dictators don’t go on vacation.”
10:58 In the Marganets community of the Dnepropetrovsk region, the Russians hit a car with a drone - two people were seriously injured, said the head of the OVA Sergei Lysak.
10:26 The European Union will be able to produce up to 2 million artillery ammunition for Ukraine annually from 2025, said European Commissioner for Finance Johannes Hahn. At the same time, he admitted that the EU was unable to fulfill its promise of a million artillery ammunition for Ukraine due to production problems. "Ammunition has always been produced only according to demand. This is why we have reduced a lot of production capacity in the past, and now we have to increase it again," Khan explained.
09:37 The UN has no way to verify reports of Russia’s use of weapons “from North Korea or any other country,” said UN Secretary General Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
08:50 In the Russian Izhevsk at night there was a large fire in a shopping center, which was previously used for the production of drones, reports the opposition Russian publication Astra. The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said that an “industrial building” on an area of 3,500 square meters was burning. m. Public pages also write about a fire at an oil depot in Kursk.
08:43 At night, the Russians shelled Kupyansk, two people were injured, said the head of the Kharkov OVA Oleg Sinegubov.
08:34 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of February 17:
personnel - about 401,350 (+1050) people,
tanks - 6476 (+11),
armored combat vehicles - 12,145 (+16),
artillery systems - 9669 (+28),
MLRS - 984 (+0),
air defense systems - 671 (+0),
aircraft - 332 (+0),
helicopters - 325 (+0),
UAV of operational-tactical level - 7413 (+5),
cruise missiles - 1896 (+1),
ships/boats - 25 (+0),
submarines - 1 (+0),
automotive equipment and tank trucks - 12,734 (+18),
special equipment - 1533 (+5).
07:58 The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that air defense forces allegedly intercepted and destroyed 33 drones over the Kaluga, Voronezh, Bryansk, Belgorod and Kursk regions overnight.
07:45 Over the past 24 hours, 90 military clashes took place at the front, the General Staff reported in its morning report . In the Avdeevsky direction, the Defense Forces repelled 38 enemy attacks in the area of Lastochkino, Avdeevka, west of Berdychi, and five more attacks near Pervomaisky and Nevelsky, Donetsk region.
In the Kupyansky direction, three enemy attacks were repelled near Sinkovka, Kharkov region; in Limansky - 17 attacks in the areas of Ternov, Yampolevka, Torskoye, Donetsk region and Belogorivka, Lugansk region; on Bakhmutsky - 13 attacks near Bogdanovka, Ivanovsky, Kleshcheevka and Andreevka, Donetsk region; on Maryinsky - 12 attacks near Georgievka and Novomikhailovka, Donetsk region; on Zaporozhye - three attacks southeast of Malaya Tokmachka. In the Kherson direction, the Defense Forces hold their positions and repelled four assaults by Russian troops.
02:24 Ukrainian troops left Avdiivka to previously prepared positions , Tarnavsky reported. “In a situation where the enemy is advancing on the corpses of his own soldiers with a ten to one advantage in shells, under constant bombardment, this is the only correct decision. Encirclement was not allowed, personnel were withdrawn, our soldiers took up defense at certain lines,” he noted.
In turn, Syrsky emphasized that the Ukrainian Armed Forces “dignified their military duty, did everything possible to destroy the best Russian military units, and inflicted significant losses on the enemy in manpower and equipment.”
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] Russia lost 47,000 people during the capture of Avdievka
On Saturday, the Ukrainian military said it was withdrawing troops from Avdievka to save lives.
Russian troops lost at least 17,000 soldiers and officers during the offensive on Avdievka, Donetsk region. This was stated on Saturday, February 17, by Dmitry Likhovoy, a representative of the operational-strategic group of troops of Tavria, writes the Air Force.
“During the capture of Avdievka, 17,000 Russian servicemen were killed,” said a representative of the Tavria operational-strategic group of troops.
According to him, in total, the occupying forces lost at least 47,000 people in the battles for Avdievka in the Donetsk region.
If 17,000 were officers and enlisted soldiers, who were the other 30,000?
Russia has not published official data on its losses since September 2022.
Russian forces have attempted to capture Avdievka numerous times since the start of a full-scale invasion in February 2022. A large-scale offensive against it has been going on since the fall of 2023. Ukrainian defenders held the city until the last.
Avdievka is a small industrial city near Donetsk, captured by pro-Russian separatists with the support of Russian troops almost 10 years ago - in the spring of 2014.
All these years, Avdievka was held by Ukrainian troops, who built powerful defensive fortifications. Despite the proximity to the conflict line, by the beginning of a full-scale war the city was developing and growing economically.
Let us remind you that on the night of February 17 it became known that units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces had left Avdievka. This happened after several months of continuous assaults by the Russian aggressors, who lost tens of thousands of military personnel and hundreds of pieces of equipment in the battles for the city.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Andrey Kots
[RIA] Russian troops occupied the city. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the armed forces liberated an area of more than 31 square kilometers. And earlier, the Ukrainian command announced that the Ukrainian Armed Forces were leaving their positions. Read about how this will affect the situation in the conflict zone in the RIA Novosti article. 31 sq. km is roughly, a township "Powerful Knot"
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported today on the success to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. The settlement taken under control, according to the department, was “a powerful defensive hub of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
“Currently, measures are being taken to completely clear the city of militants and to block Ukrainian units that have left the city and settled at the Avdievka coking plant,” the press release says.
They also explained that the liberation of Avdievka made it possible to move the front line away from Donetsk, which had been shelled from this city for a long time. And Russian troops “continue offensive actions to further liberate” the DPR.
By mid-February, the situation of the Avdievka garrison had turned from difficult to critical. The assault units of the Russian army have practically closed the encirclement ring around the city, coming very close to the settlement of Lastochkino. The last road to the west passed through it, along which units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were supplied.
At the same time, the Ukrainian military was forced out of a number of well-equipped positions, in particular from the Zenit fortified area south of Avdievka and from the forest belt to the north-west.
The group, in fact, was divided into two parts. The first tried to escape from the city. Accurate strikes were immediately carried out on the retreating scattered units.
The second part of the garrison, the backbone of which consists of soldiers of the 3rd separate assault brigade, settled on the territory of the Avdeevsky coke plant. Commander-in-Chief Syrsky sent this elite formation of the Ukrainian army to help the besieged garrison. However, the attack aircraft were almost immediately surrounded.
Now they are hiding in the basements and bunkers of the enterprise and recording videos calling for them to be evacuated or released. Thus, the situation with Azovstal is mirrored, where Azov militants hid underground for several weeks until, as a result of negotiations, they were “evacuated” from there into Russian captivity.
HOW WE WON
Aviation played one of the main roles in the liberation of Avdiivka. From the very beginning of the operation on October 10 last year, front-line Su-34 bombers daily “treated” the fortified area with high-explosive bombs equipped with universal planning and correction modules. The UMPC allowed aircraft to carry out strikes without the risk of coming under enemy air defense fire. The power of 500-kilogram bombs was quite enough to level the concrete fortifications of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which otherwise would have had to be stormed head-on.
The artillerymen also did an excellent job, significantly ahead of the Ukrainians in terms of howitzer salvo weight. Near Avdievka, it was possible to implement a full-fledged reconnaissance and fire contour, in which a matter of minutes passed from detecting a target to its destruction. This seriously complicated the movement of the Wehrmacht and made it difficult to transport ammunition.
The gunners received a lot of help from FPV drone operators. On the Russian side, there were many times more drones in the Avdeevsky direction.
But the assault infantry undoubtedly played the first role. Russian soldiers, without unnecessary haste, methodically took fortified area after fortified area, bypassing the city from the north and south in order to close the encirclement to the west. Attempts by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to stop them ended in nothing. And when the foot soldiers planted the Russian flag at the stele at the entrance to Avdievka, where Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky had recently been photographed, it became finally clear that the city would soon fall.
The liberation of Avdievka will partially stop the threat of shelling of Donetsk, since shells have been launched from here since 2014.
But, most likely, this will not collapse the front and will not lead to the collapse of Kiev. However, Ukraine does not have a second such powerful fortified area as near Donetsk. It is quite possible that it will be easier for the Russian army to advance further.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] Those detained at the monument to victims of political repression in Stavropol while laying flowers in memory of Navalny said that dozens of people were taken to police stations. Security forces demanded that the detainees provide access to a telephone and sign warnings about the inadmissibility of participating in mass rallies. As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, the Federal Penitentiary Service for the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug reported on February 16 that convict Alexei Navalny died in the colony after his condition sharply worsened. Conditions in the colony led to the death of Navalny, noted some social network users in southern Russia; some doubted that the causes of death were natural.
Commentators expressed condolences to the politician's family. In Tbilisi, Batumi and Yerevan on the evening of February 16, activists paid tribute to the memory of Alexei Navalny. In Krasnodar, activists laid flowers at the memorial to victims of fascism; city resident Andrei Vyazov was arrested for 14 days for displaying a banner from Navalny’s presidential campaign. At least seven people were detained in Taganrog, one of them was fined for disobeying the police.
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[EngMilRu] In the period from 11 to 16 February, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered 30 group strikes by long-range precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles at facilities of Ukrainian military industrial complex producing and repairing aircraft engines, radio-electronic equipment and ammunition.
Moreover, strikes were delivered factories producing fuel and lubricants for AFU hardware, warehouses of military and technical equipment, as well as deployment points of AFU units and nationalist formations.
Over the week, in Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and repelled 18 attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 25th Airborne Brigade, 30th, 32nd, 43rd, 44th, and 60th Mechanised brigades, 103rd Territorial Defence Brigade near Sinkovka, Tabayevka, Timkovka (Kharkov region) and Terni (Donetsk People's Republic).
In addition, enemy manpower was struck near Novoselkovskoye (Lugansk People's Republic), Kislovka, and Berestovoye (Kharkov region).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 775 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, seven armoured fighting vehicles, 17 motor vehicles, and five field artillery guns.
In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces improved the situation along the front lines and supported by aviation and artillery repelled 14 enemy attacks.
Moreover, losses were inflicted on units of the AFU 24th, 60th, and 63rd Mechanised brigades near Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic), Yampolovka, and Torskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 1,585 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, four tanks, 44 armoured fighting vehicles, 82 motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns.
In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions and repelled 46 enemy attacks near Belogorovka, Bogdanovka, Kleshcheyevka, Leninskoye, Novomikhailovka, and Shumy (Donetsk People's Republic).
In addition, AFU and Ukrainian National Guard units suffered losses near Kurdyumovka, Andreyevka, Georgiyevka, and Katerinovka (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses in this direction amounted to more than 1,820 Ukrainian troops, 11 tanks, 14 armoured fighting vehicles, 84 motor vehicles, and 25 field artillery guns.
In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces improved the situation along the front lines and repelled three enemy attacks.
Unist of the AFU 58th Infantry Brigade, 72nd Mechanised Brigade, 127th and 128th Territorial Defence brigades suffered losses near Vladimirovka, Urozhaynoye, Vodyanoye (Donetsk People's Republic) and Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 1,060 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, ten armoured fighting vehicles, 23 motor vehicles, and 12 field artillery guns.
In Kherson region, aviation and artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 35th Naval Infantry Brigade, 121st Territorial Defence Brigade, and 23rd Ukrainian National Guard Brigade near Tyaginka, Ivanovka, Yantarnoye (Kherson region), and Nikopol (Dnepropetrovsk region).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 310 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two armoured fighting vehicles, 23 motor vehicles, and 14 field artillery guns.
Aviation and air defence units intercepted one Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 aircraft and Mi-24 helicopter, 36 HIMARS, Vampire, and Olkha MLRS projectiles, one JDAM guided aerial bomb, as well as neutralised 405 unmanned aerial vehicles.
35 Ukrainian servicemen surrendered over the past week.
In total, 571 airplanes and 266 helicopters, 12,571 unmanned aerial vehicles, 469 air defence missile systems, 15,060 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,221 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,067 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 18,747 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[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.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The order of the Ukrainian military leadership to leave Avdievka in the DPR was issued one day after the Ukrainian Armed Forces began fleeing the city. This was announced on February 18 by the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
“The order of the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Alexander Syrsky, to abandon the city was issued only a day after the uncontrolled flight of Ukrainian troops from Avdievka began,” he said.
Konashenkov emphasized that the liberation of Avdeevka made it possible to move the front line away from Donetsk, significantly protecting it from terrorist attacks by the criminal Kyiv regime.
Information about the advance of Russian troops was not made public until the Ukrainian Armed Forces were completely defeated and Avdiivka was taken under control, an official representative of the Ministry of Defense clarified.
As Regnum reported, on February 17, Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Center group of troops under the command of Colonel General Andrei Mordvichev had completely taken control of the city of Avdeevka.
An area of 31.75 square meters was liberated from Ukrainian nationalists. km. The final cleanup is now underway. The losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces during the fighting for Avdiivka during the day amounted to more than 1,500 people.
Shoigu clarified that only part of the scattered militant formations, under continuous fire from Russian troops, were able to escape from Avdievka, abandoning military equipment and weapons.
After the report of the Minister of Defense, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Russian military personnel on such an important victory, confirmed the press secretary of the head of state, Dmitry Peskov.
The head of the DPR, Denis Pushilin, said that the liberated Avdiivka had fallen as an “enemy stronghold.” Now the republic will be less exposed to militant shelling, and the Russian military are heroes, they have once again proven this, Pushilin said. Also, the liberation of Avdiivka is “very important in information and political terms.”
[Regnum] The Ukrainian army has adopted a failed 80-year-old strategy used by Nazi Germany in World War II. The Ukrainian Armed Forces switched to “active defense,” which turned out to be a defeat for the Germans. This opinion was expressed by American military writer and political scientist Michael Peck in Business Insider.
The author drew a parallel and stated that after the failure of the long-awaited summer counter-offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the lack of ammunition and stamina to repel continuous attacks by the Russian military, Ukrainian commanders are talking about a transition to “active defense.”
“They hope to block Russian advances while looking for opportunities to counterattack and regain ground,” Peck explained.
The author wrote that in 1943, when the tide of war turned against the Third Reich, the Nazis chose a “desperate strategy on the Eastern Front.” Lacking the capabilities of the Red Army, the Germans relied on a mobile, aggressive defense to stop the continuous series of Soviet offensives.
“Today’s Ukraine has chosen a strategy that repeats the German approach of 80 years ago. But if this approach could not stop the Red Army from capturing Berlin in 1945, then can it save Ukraine today?” the expert asked and summed it up: the Ukrainian Armed Forces do not have the necessary forces to carry out large-scale mechanized offensives.
As Regnum reported, in just one day, Ukrainian troops lost over 1.5 thousand military personnel during the fighting for Avdievka, Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 17.
The German publication Stern wrote that a retreat from Avdievka would be a disaster for Ukraine with far-reaching consequences. The surrender of the city was inevitable, since the Russian Armed Forces continued to “press and isolate the southern part of the cauldron” with Ukrainian troops, after which the Ukrainian Armed Forces were crowded into high-rise buildings and at a coke plant, the author noted.
Following Avdievka, Ukraine may lose control over other cities, including Khar'kov and Zaporozhye, former Verkhovna Rada deputy Igor Lutsenko said on February 17.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
