Covering retreat from Avdiivka, 25 Ukrainian soldiers were captured - Syrskyi
The entire state and the Armed Forces of Ukraine are making every effort to free all prisoners of war, including those who were captured while covering the withdrawal of troops near Avdiivka.
This was stated by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi in an interview with Ukrinform, Censor.NET informs.
"Unfortunately, during these battles, 25 Ukrainian servicemen were captured by the Russians. This is a war... Russian propagandists are trying to use various videos with captured Ukrainian soldiers to discredit the Defense Forces of Ukraine, psychological pressure and spreading panic among Ukrainians.
I want to say to these soldiers, if they will hear me, to their families - we have not forgotten anyone and we are doing everything to free these servicemen from enemy captivity. Both the leadership of our state and the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense and the command of the Armed Forces are fully involved in these efforts," Sirskyi emphasized.
He noted that the Ukrainian units were forced to withdraw from Avdiivka because the enemy had much more force, equipment, and means of assault in that direction. The integrity of the defense structures of the Ukrainian troops was violated due to constant bombardment by guided aerial bombs. A small amount of ammunition and shells for artillery played a negative role.
The Commander-in-Chief noted that the Armed Forces of Ukraine were forced to withdraw from Avdiivka in order to preserve the lives of personnel and gain a foothold on the new line of defense.
"It is also worth remembering that the offensive on Avdiivka resulted in significant losses for the enemy, and this is unlikely to be reported on "Russian" television. Only in the period from October 10, 2023, to February 17, 2024, in the Avdiivka direction, the Russian invaders lost: 47,186 personnel, 364 tanks, 748 armored fighting vehicles, 248 artillery systems, 5 aircraft. Since the beginning of the Avdiyiv defensive operation, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have captured 95 Russian invaders in this direction," Sirskyi emphasized.
After the withdrawal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ukrainian defenders managed to somewhat reduce the dynamics of the offensive actions of the Russian occupiers in the Avdiiv direction. The enemy continues to lose large numbers of manpower and equipment during the assaults.
But the occupiers did not stop at Avdiivka but continue their assaults in this direction. Sirskyi noted that the enemy is supporting its offensive with intense artillery fire and the active use of FPV drones and drones with drops. At the same time, the enemy's aircraft periodically strikes with anti-aircraft missiles from a distance of 40-50 km, artillery positions, and the main elements of the battle order are covered by EW means.
