Soldiers of the assault unit of the "Center" group of troops demonstrated the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of the railway station of the city of Avdievka, which were tried to be held by members of the nationalist unit - the 3rd separate assault brigade, formed on the basis of the "Azov" battalion *.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, we are talking about a stronghold of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which was located near the railway station in one of the houses with thick walls, built at the beginning of the last century.
Refrigeration chambers for food, places for recharging batteries, a workshop, supplies of imported medicines and food, including Canadian-made dry rations that belonged to mercenaries from Canada and Georgia were discovered there. In addition, unused imported cartridges and a warehouse of ammunition made in the USA and the Czech Republic for 120-mm mortars were found.
The presence of mercenaries from Canada and Georgia was recorded in Avdeevka
As a soldier of the assault unit of the Center group with the call sign KhMAO said, the nationalists’ stronghold “was serious,” the enemy did not intend to retreat, but Russian attack aircraft pushed through the defenses.
“Azov was here.” As far as I remember, they have the 3rd battalion. They took a prisoner. He entered into a dialogue with us and told us that Canadian mercenaries took part here. We learned a lot of interesting information about the enemy's location and began to act further according to this information. Our guys - our attack aircraft - did their job responsibly and with dignity. We are proud of our work! And just forward!” - he emphasized.
The defense department also published the words of local residents who, after the liberation of the city, were able to leave their basements and calmly replenish water supplies, which are in great short supply in the city.
"It was very scary. We live in basements. Previously, they could only go out on the water when there was a lull, bending down. And the day before yesterday we went out and saw the military - we don’t understand who it is. And then I looked: red ribbons, I couldn’t even believe my eyes. We are very glad that you came, very glad!” - emphasized a woman named Tatyana.
In addition, civilians note that the rapid advance of Russian units did not allow Ukrainian nationalists to blow up surviving buildings and individual infrastructure facilities.
Residents of Avdeevka about the liberation of the city
On February 17, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to President Vladimir Putin about the capture of Avdeevka. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost more than 1.5 thousand military personnel in the battles for Avdievka per day. The total area of the liberated territory was 31.75 square meters. km.
The head of state, in turn, expressed gratitude to the formations and military units that participated in the battles for Avdiivka. As the Kremlin press service noted, gratitude was expressed to the 30th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 2nd Army; 35th separate motorized rifle brigade, 55th separate motorized rifle brigade (mountain), 74th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 41st army; 1st separate motorized rifle brigade, 9th separate motorized rifle brigade, 114th separate motorized rifle brigade, 1454th motorized rifle regiment, 10th tank regiment of the 1st army corps; 6th Tank Regiment, 80th Tank Regiment, 239th Tank Regiment of the 90th Tank Division, Veterans volunteer brigade.
“The Avdeevka operation is an example of successful methodical work to capture a well-fortified city. Our troops exhausted the enemy with constant attacks by attack aircraft, artillery and aviation strikes, attacks on the flanks and positions in the city itself,” retired colonel Viktor Litovkin explained in a conversation with RT.
The day before it became known that units of the Center group of troops occupied more advantageous lines and positions in the Avdeevsky direction. They also completely liberated the Avdeevka coke plant.
* “Azov” is an organization recognized as terrorist by a decision of the Supreme Court of Russia dated August 2, 2022.