“In order to preserve life and encirclement, I have withdrawn our units from Avdiivka.”
When he was appointed this month, Ukraine’s new head of the armed forces, Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, said he would “rather retreat than sacrifice lives”, and that is what he has finally done with this eastern city.
Despite Russians suffering enormous losses, four months of relentless attacks have left Ukrainian troops there outnumbered, outgunned, and with dwindling ammunition.
It is Moscow’s biggest victory since Ukraine’s failed counter-offensive last year.
