Hundreds of prisoners feared
Soldiers describe chaotic retreat from Avdiivka
February 21, 2024, 1:05 a.m
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The fall of Avdiivka is a symbolic victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainians are evacuating their positions after bloody, months-long fighting. However, hundreds of soldiers could have been taken prisoner during the retreat from the ruins of the city.
The withdrawal of Ukrainian troops has probably been much more chaotic than previously assumed. According to a report by the… “New York Times” Hundreds of soldiers became prisoners of war. The newspaper relies on the assessments of high-ranking representatives of Western states and several Ukrainian soldiers.
However, an exact number of soldiers taken prisoner or missing can only be determined once the Ukrainian army has further stabilized its defense line outside the city. The estimates of two Ukrainian soldiers familiar with details of the withdrawal amount to a total of 850 to 1,000 captured or missing soldiers.
Although the loss of the city in Donetsk Oblast is not considered a particularly devastating strategic setback, according to unnamed US administration officials, the withdrawal and a high number of lost fighters could further deteriorate the morale of the Ukrainian troops. This has already been weakened by the failed counteroffensive and due to the recent dismissal of army chief Valeryi Zalushnyj. The recruitment of new soldiers is also stalling. The army’s desire to mobilize around 500,000 more people is currently stuck in the Ukrainian parliament. The troops at the front can hardly rotate at the moment.
The Ukrainian military confirmed that soldiers were taken prisoner during the retreat from Avdiivka. However, no specific numbers were given. The general in charge of the front sector Alexander Tarnawskyj had stated on Saturday via his Telegram channel that the withdrawal had gone according to plan, but that “some” soldiers had been taken prisoner. A spokesman for the general denied the reports of hundreds of prisoners being taken to the New York Times.
Advance cannot be stopped
However, the descriptions of individual soldiers and assessments by high-ranking Western representatives also call into question whether the withdrawal was really orderly. They said the Ukrainian withdrawal was poorly planned and started too late. Accordingly, the Ukrainian troops were simply not prepared for how quickly the Russian army made progress in conquering the embattled city last week.
In the meantime, Ukraine deployed additional elite forces in the form of the 3rd Assault Brigade to support the regular troops in Avdiivka. But even that couldn’t slow down the Russian advance. For the Ukrainians, the withdrawal from Avdiivka was also made more difficult by the fact that Russia had surrounded the city on almost three sides – there was a threat of encirclement. You could only get in and out of the city via a single street.
According to several Ukrainian soldiers, some units withdrew from the city over the weekend before others were even aware of a withdrawal order. According to the New York Times, unverified videos show units moving out of the city under artillery fire and bodies lying scattered along the street. According to the report, Ukrainian military units have long had difficulty communicating with each other because they often have different radio equipment. The communication problems are also said to have been a factor that led to soldiers being captured, killed and wounded during the retreat.