On Saturday, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, the Ukrainian military commander of the Tavria operational group, said that several Ukrainian troops had been captured during the process of withdrawal from their stronghold in Avdiivka.

"The withdrawal of personnel from Avdiivka took place in accordance with a plan designed with consideration of different scenarios and a possible change in the operational situation. And yet, at the final stage of the operation, under pressure from superior enemy forces, several Ukrainian service people were captured," Tarnavskyi said in a statement quoted by the Ukrainian newspaper Strana. 

He added that Ukrainian authorities are currently reaching out to international humanitarian organizations and mediator countries to ensure that the norms of international humanitarian law are upheld regarding the captured troops.

🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️ | EXCLUSIVE | ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️

Sad stories from Ukrainian soldiers from the 110th mechanized brigade, who were sent to die in Avdiivka, but were lucky to surrender pic.twitter.com/BGK7SGXftG

— Тоби айоделе -Tboy🇳🇬🇷🇺 (@TobiAyodele) February 17, 2024

Read more: Ukrainian Forces retreat from Avdiivka in new blow: Army chief

After months of intensive fighting, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi announced earlier today the decision to withdraw troops from Avdiivka. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the decision was made to "save people's lives."

Signs of withdrawal initially surfaced on Thursday, when US National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby stated that the situation in Avdiivka is critical and warned that the city may fall under Russian control due to Ukraine's ammo shortage.

Then, on Friday, Brigadier General Tarnavskyi announced that Ukrainian troops had withdrawn from their positions in the southern part of Avdiivka, reporting casualties.

Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Ukraine's very young forced mobilization soldiers were forced to surrender quietly at night. They contacted VOLGA 149.200
They had no combat experience, little training, and ran out of food and ammo.#Avdiivka #Azov NeoNAZI#ZelenskyWarCriminal & Warmonger pic.twitter.com/FwA6z0wCGl

— AW. Wikanadi  (@awwikanadi) February 17, 2024

Syrskyi, appointed just last week, had deployed additional forces to support the defense of Avdiivka. However, statements from Tarnavskiy indicated that Kiev might be contemplating a withdrawal from the city, as it was reportedly encircled on three sides by Russian forces.

Russian victory on the horizon

Russian military operations in the Donetsk region which have been ongoing for several months to seize control of Avdiivka and other territories came to fruition. 

The city has served as a key stronghold for Ukrainian forces as they continue to launch whatever remains of their artillery and rocket shells on nearby Donetsk city and its suburbs. 

The Ukrainian army has heavily fortified Avdiivka since 2015 by constructing deep underground bunkers and passageways with concrete walls up to five meters thick. Observers say the fortifications indicated a clear lack of intention to fulfill the Minsk peace agreement of 2015.

The capture of Avdiivka and adjacent territories could potentially ease the ongoing shelling of Donetsk, but the battle also extends to other settlements west of Donetsk, including Maryinka, Krasnogorovka, Karlivka, and Kurakhovo.

Some assimilate the battle for Avdiivka to the previous months-long battle for control of Bakhmut, which ended in a Russian victory in May last year.

Read more: Kirby claims US security threat from Russia's anti-satellite weapons