Loss of Avdiivka was due to inaction of US Congress - White House
This was stated by the coordinator of the US National Security Council, John Kirby, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrinform.
"For several months, Ukraine was able to deter Russian attacks until it began to run out of ammunition, especially artillery ammunition, which is necessary to prevent Russian forces from reaching Ukrainian defense lines and seizing these positions," the White House spokesman said.
In this regard, he emphasized that Ukraine's decision to withdraw from Avdiivka was not due to the fact that the Ukrainian Armed Forces were not courageous enough in their fight, or lacked military management, tactical courage or combat skills.
"This happened because of the inaction of the Congress. And we warned Congress that if it did not act, Ukraine would suffer losses on the battlefield, and that is exactly what happened," Kirby emphasized.
The White House representative expressed his belief that the Russians were trying to capture Avdiivka mainly to gain a logistical and operationally maneuverable "hub" in Donbas, particularly in Donetsk region. According to the US National Security Council coordinator, the Russians believe that this will give them an impetus for further operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
Kirby also called the decision of the Ukrainian command to withdraw troops from Avdiivka "wise" in order to preserve human resources, which are the most valuable in the war against Russia. In this regard, the White House representative called on lawmakers in the House of Representatives to ensure that weapons and ammunition are delivered to the Ukrainian military as soon as possible.
