Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has declared that Moscow has achieved complete control over the town of Avdiivka in Ukraine.
The announcement came via the defense ministry's Telegram channel, stating that the Center group, under the command of Lieutenant General Andrey Mordvichev, successfully captured Avdiivka.
According to the defense ministry, Ukraine suffered heavy casualties, with over 1,500 servicemen lost in Avdiivka within the past 24 hours.
Securing full control of Avdiivka has enabled Russian troops to push back the front line from Donetsk, significantly bolstering military defenses against Ukrainian attacks.
In response, Ukrainian Armed Forces commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky announced the withdrawal of troops from Avdiivka to prevent encirclement and safeguard the lives and well-being of servicemen. Syrsky stated via social media, "To avoid encirclement and preserve the lives and health of servicemen, I decided to withdraw our units from the city and move to defense on more favorable lines."
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