KYIV: Russia said Saturday it had taken “full control” of the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka, hours after Kyiv said it had pulled out of the former stronghold to save soldiers’ lives.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu had informed President Vladimir Putin of the advance, said a defence ministry statement.
Putin “congratulated our military and fighters on such an important victory”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state media.
Facing ammunition shortages and outnumbered on the battlefield, Ukrainian forces announced they had withdrawn in the early hours of Saturday.
It followed months of pressure after Russian forces stepped up efforts to capture the eastern industrial hub in October, devastating the city and causing mass casualties.
The capture of Avdiivka represents Russia’s biggest victory in the war since May.
Earlier Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told a security conference in Munich: “The ability to save our people is the most important task for us.
“In order to avoid being surrounded, it was decided to withdraw to other lines.”
“This does not mean that people retreated some kilometres and Russia captured something,” he added. “It did not capture anything.”
Earlier, Ukraine’s newly appointed commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky said he had “decided to withdraw our units from the city and switch to defence on more favourable lines”.
A number of Ukrainian servicemen were captured in the operation, several military officials said.
It was Syrsky’s first major decision since his appointment, at a time when Ukraine faces mounting pressures in the east because of ammunition shortages, with a $60-billion US military aid package held up in Washington.
US National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson put some of the blame for Kyiv’s latest setback on Congress.
Zelensky nevertheless remained optimistic after speaking with US President Joe Biden by telephone from Munich.
“I am grateful to have President Biden’s full support,” he said.
“I also believe that the US Congress will make a wise decision.”
Biden too, remained upbeat.
“I spoke with Zelensky this afternoon to let him know that I was confident we’re going to get that money,” Biden told reporters after attending church in Delaware.
Failure to vote through new military aid would be “absurd” and “unethical,” he said, adding: “I’m going to fight to get them the ammunition they need.”
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