Ukrainian troops have left Avdiivka, a key eastern city besieged for months by Russian forces. The decision, taken to safeguard the soldiers' lives, marks a significant turning point in the conflict that sees Ukraine opposing the Russian advance.
The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, announced the withdrawal, emphasising the decision as necessary to protect the lives of the soldiers engaged in the field. On the other hand, the Russian Defence Ministry declared that it had taken 'full control' of the city, with President Vladimir Putin celebrating this success as an 'important victory'.
This conquest represents the greatest Russian triumph in recent months and highlights Ukraine's difficulties, accentuated by the shortage of Western military supplies. Avdiivka had more than 30,000 inhabitants before the conflict, almost all of whom fled, leaving behind an almost completely destroyed city.
Ukraine's ammunition shortages have been exacerbated by political disputes in the US, the country's main supplier. US President Joe Biden attributed the withdrawal from Avdiivka to Congress' inaction on a crucial foreign aid package, which included funding for Ukraine, forcing troops to ration ammunition.
During a conversation with Zelensky, Biden reiterated the US's unwavering support for Ukraine. Meanwhile, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Zelensky urged Western countries to support Ukraine in the fight against 'the monster', referring to Putin, warning that the Russian leader will make the coming years 'catastrophic' for many other countries if the Western world does not stand up to him.
Since Putin launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Avdiivka has been the scene of intense fighting. The city has been a battleground since 2014, when Russian-backed fighters took control of vast territories in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
The abandonment of Avdiivka represents the most significant change on the more than 1,000 km long front since Russian troops took control of the neighbouring town of Bakhmut in May 2023.
Announcing the withdrawal, the head of the armed forces, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated that they had acted to "avoid encirclement and preserve the lives and health of military personnel", praising the soldiers for doing their duty with dignity and inflicting significant losses on the enemy.
In a context of the enemy's numerical supremacy and continuous bombardment, the withdrawal from Avdiivka was described as "the only correct solution".
The loss of Avdiivka marks a critical moment for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, with potential repercussions on both the operational front and troop morale.
US National Security Council spokesman Admiral John Kirby has sounded an alarm over the precarious situation of Ukrainian forces, which are running out of artillery ammunition in the face of Russian assaults, conducted with 'wave after wave of conscript forces'. The situation is aggravated by Congress' delay in passing a supplementary bill, which has prevented the US from supplying the much-needed artillery ammunition required by Ukraine to counter Russian attacks.
During the week, the US Senate approved a foreign aid package worth USD 95 billion, of which USD 60 billion was earmarked for Ukraine, after months of political debate. However, the package is encountering significant obstacles in the House of Representatives, putting continued support for Ukraine at risk.
Ukraine's critical dependence on arms supplies from the US and other Western allies is vital to continuing the fight against Russia, which has much larger military forces and an abundant supply of artillery ammunition. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned Thursday that the US failure to approve continued military support for Ukraine is already negatively affecting the dynamics on the battlefield, highlighting the crucial importance of international support for Ukraine's defensive capabilities.
