Ukrainian troops are leaving Avdiyivka in Donetsk Region and moving to defence from more favourable positions, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyy has said.
According to the General Staff, the withdrawal of Ukrainian Armed Forces units from the city is being carried out to avoid encirclement, as well as to save the lives of servicemen.
"Our soldiers performed their military duty with dignity, did everything possible to destroy the best Russian military units, inflicted significant losses in manpower and equipment on the enemy," it said.
"The lives of servicemen are the highest value. We will take back Avdiyivka anyway," the General Staff concluded.
· The day before yesterday, the commander of the Tavriya operational and strategic group of forces, Oleksandr Tarnavskyy, described the situation in Avdiyivka as controlled and difficult. He said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces were conducting manoeuvres there.
· The 3rd Assault Brigade confirmed that its units had been urgently sent to Avdiyivka to reinforce them. In the morning, the soldiers reported that the Russians were conducting continuous shelling and assault operations, using phosphorus shells against the coke plant in Avdiyivka. These shells set fuel oil tanks on fire, and the poisonous smoke is spreading throughout the plant.
· The brigade also said that some of its soldiers were completely surrounded and trying to break through.
· Later, Tarnavskyy confirmed that a decision had been made to withdraw from the Zenit position in eastern Avdiyivka.
· President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the command is using "new approaches" in Avdiyivka.