Syrskyi reveals how many Ukrainian soldiers were captured by Russia during Avdiivka withdrawal

He said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

"Unfortunately, during these battles, 25 Ukrainian servicemen fell into Russian captivity. This is war... Russian propagandists attempt to exploit various videos featuring captured Ukrainian soldiers to discredit the Ukrainian Armed Forces, apply psychological pressure, and spread panic among Ukrainians," said the Commander-in-Chief.

According to Syrskyi, Ukraine withdrew its forces from Avdiivka because the Russian army held a significant advantage in both forces and means within the assault units.

Simultaneously, due to constant bombardments with guided aviation bombs, the integrity of the Ukrainian defense was compromised, allowing the enemy to gradually advance forward.

"Additionally, the insufficient quantity of ammunition for our artillery played a negative role. This prevented us from effectively engaging in counter-battery warfare under such circumstances. Therefore, in order to avoid encirclement and preserve lives, I made the decision to withdraw from Avdiivka," explained Syrskyi.

At the same time, he addressed the prisoners of war, stating, "We haven't forgotten anyone, and we are doing everything to liberate these servicemen from enemy captivity."

Withdrawal from Avdiivka

In order to avoid encirclement and save the lives of the military, the Defense Forces command decided on February 17 to withdraw units from Avdiivka and move to defense on more favorable lines.

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.

Ukrainian defenders near Avdiivka inflicted huge losses on the Russian forces. They exceeded 47,000 troops in personnel alone, said Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, Tavria Operational and Strategic Grouping Commander.