Russia moves remaining units from Avdiivka to other frontline areas

This was reported by the deputy commander of the 3rd Brigade, Maksym Zhorin.

"In the Avdiivka sector, as of today, everything is generally clear - they will advance as far as they have enough strength and depending on who survives," he wrote.

Zhorin noted that the situation could be difficult in other areas.

"Moreover, the surviving units have been redeployed from Avdiivka to other parts of the frontline," added the deputy commander of the 3rd Brigade.

According to him, Russian forces have been "preparing all this time" for combat, in particular, accumulating equipment and weapons, as well as preparing forces and reserves.

"Now the Russian Federation is beginning to systematically use all this on the battlefield. In the near future, I think the situation will be difficult in the South and in the Kharkiv sector," Zhorin concluded.

Russia captures Ukraine's eastern city of Avdiivka

On February 17, in order to avoid encirclement and save the lives of the military, Ukrainian military command decided to withdraw troops from Avdiivka and move to more favorable positions.

Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that the decision to withdraw from Avdiivka was the right one and that Ukrainian soldiers are in need of some weapons and equipment.

Later, the spokesperson for the joint press centre of the Tavria Defence Forces, Dmytro Lykhoviy, said that fighting continued to the west of Avdiivka.

On February 20, a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) stated that Russian troops had sharply slowed down their offensive operations near Avdiivka after capturing the city. The occupying Russian forces will either have to take an operational pause or move reinforcements to the area from other parts of the frontline.

On February 20, it was reported that after the capture of Avdiivka in Donetsk region, the Russian occupation forces would probably try to continue their offensive to the west of the city, but they would hardly have enough combat capability to do so.

On February 20, deputy commander of Ukraine's 3rd Assault Brigade, Maksym Zhorin told about the situation in the Avdiivka sector. According to him, the main target of the Russian forces is the village of Lastochkyne.