Russian troops have made a huge breakthrough as they capture their first city in Ukraine in almost a year.
Putin’s forces planted a flag in the centre of Avdiivka, after four months of heavy fighting, according to pro-Kremlin military bloggers.
The city is seen as a gateway to Donetsk, the regional Ukrainian capital seized by Russian-backed fighters in 2014 and later unlawfully annexed by Moscow.
Ukrainian troops have now withdrawn from the city – which is almost completely destroyed – however, Kyiv has insisted that their absence provides no strategic advantage for Russia.
Putin's forces have made a huge breakthrough in Ukraine after they planted a flag in the centre of Avdiivka
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Speaking on Telegram, the commander of Ukraine's southeastern sector Oleksandr Tarnavskyi said units were removed with minimal losses.
“In a difficult battlefield situation, when only ruins and a pile of broken bricks remain from the fortification, our priority is to save the soldiers' lives,” he said.
Just yesterday, the US warned that it was likely that Russia would seize the key eastern city.
“Avdiivka is at risk of falling into Russian control,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
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Putin’s forces are likely to capture the city, their first in almost a year
Reuters“Russia is sending wave after wave of conscript forces to attack Ukrainian positions," he said.
“And because Congress has yet to pass the supplemental bill, we have not been able to provide Ukraine with the artillery shells that they desperately need to disrupt these Russian assaults.
“Russian forces are now reaching Ukrainian trenches in Avdiivka, and they're beginning to overwhelm Ukrainian defences.”
One of Ukraine's strongest fighting units, the Third Assault Brigade, has been rushed to Avdiivka to reinforce troops there.
The unit said in a statement on Thursday that the situation in the city was “hell”, describing it as “threatening and unstable”.
A view shows an area near the Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant in the town of Avdiivka
Reuters
On the Telegram messaging app, the brigade added: “The Russians employ phosphorus shells, igniting fuel oil tanks and causing them to catch fire. Toxic smoke spreads throughout the plant.”
The town has been hammered by the Russians for months, however, it is only in recent weeks that troops have managed to make a breakthrough and enter.
The Avdiivka Coke Plant is expected to become the last Ukrainian stronghold in the city.
The Ukrainian Deep State website, which maps changes on the battlefield, wrote on Thursday: “Katsaps [Russians] have been actively climbing in this area for the last few days, where our fighters repelled them.
“If the last days, the position there was completely surrounded. Today, the main forces left their positions, but not everyone managed to get out, so not everything is as joyful as others try to present.”