Russian troops allegedly occupied the center of Avdeevka

Russian troops on Friday, according to some reports, occupied the center of the city of Avdeevka in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. Alexander Tarnavskyi, the commander of the “Tavria” group of the armed forces of Ukraine, said that his troops were withdrawn to the southwestern outskirts of the city.

“After many months of confrontation, the OSHV command made a decision to withdraw from the Zenit position to the south-eastern outskirts of Avdeyevka. We held this position as long as it allowed us to effectively restrain and destroy the enemy,” Tarnavskyi wrote in a telegram.

He noted that the decision was made in order to preserve personnel and that it “does not give the enemy a strategic advantage and does not change the situation within the Avdeev defense operation.”

Bloggers following the situation publish footage of Russian soldiers raising the flag of their unit, presumably in a city park in the center of Avdeevka.

Earlier, both the Ukrainian command and foreign intelligence reported that the combat situation in the Avdeevka region was extremely unfavorable for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Yesterday, pro-Russian Telegram channels reported that Russian troops had captured the main entrance to Avdeevka and a part of the air defense system known as the “Zenith” fortified area.

In the conditions of active hostilities, it is not possible to independently confirm the statements of the parties.

• The Russian army launched a massive assault on the city of Avdeevka in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, which is under the control of the Ukrainian army, in early October 2023. The capture of the entire region is one of the goals that, according to various sources, Vladimir Putin has set for his subordinates.