Marinka no longer exists, our troops have prepared defensive line outside this settlement - Zaluzhnyi
Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhny said that Marinka in the Donetsk region no longer exists. The city has been defending for almost two years.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to Suspilne.
"We protect every piece of our land. Every single piece. But when enemy shells start digging up this place together with stones, with the ground, with our fighters on this narrow piece of land, the lives of our fighters are more important to us," he said, adding that the defense of Marinka lasted almost two years, but it was destroyed "street by street, house by house."
"As of today, our troops are still in the northern part. Our troops have prepared a defensive line outside this settlement. But I can say that this settlement no longer exists," the Chief Commander added.
According to Zaluzhnyi, Russian troops were operating in Marinka, as well as in Bakhmut in the Donetsk region.
"Street after street, block after block is being destroyed, our fighters are being dug in... The fact that we have now retreated to the outskirts of Marinka and in some places have settled down behind Marinka, I think, is nothing that can cause a public outcry. It (Marinka - Ed.) is gone. Unfortunately," Zaluzhnyi added.
As a reminder, on December 25, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to President Putin that Marinka had been allegedly completely captured. The Defense Forces stated that it was incorrect to talk about the complete capture of the city.
