During the retreat of the Ukrainian armed forces from Avdiivka, between 850 and 1,000 Ukrainian servicemen could have gone missing or been captured. This was reported by The New York Times, citing the accounts of two Ukrainian soldiers and Western officials.
According to the publication, there are currently conflicting estimates of the number of Ukrainians who may be in captivity or have disappeared. A more accurate number cannot be determined until Ukraine strengthens its defensive positions outside of Avdiivka, as noted by The New York Times. General of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Tarnavsky, previously admitted that during the final stage of the withdrawal of forces from Avdiivka, some Ukrainian servicemen were captured.
On February 17, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, announced the withdrawal of troops from Avdiivka in order to preserve the lives and health of servicemen. On the same day, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to President Vladimir Putin on the capture of Avdiivka. The Russian Ministry of Defense noted that the captured settlement was a powerful defensive hub of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. On February 19, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the complete liberation of the coking chemical plant in Avdiivka from the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Western partners of the loss of Avdiivka in an interview with CNN, stating that they did not provide enough weapons. He also called on Europe to recognize the end of the “era of peace” on the continent and to send more weapons to Ukraine.
Earlier, a resident of the Kuzbass region was detained for attempting to join the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
