Ukraine forced to withdraw from more villages as Russia steps up pressure

Ukrainian troops have made a tactical withdrawal from three more villages as Russian forces advance across the eastern front line and take advantage of Kiev’s depleted army, which is desperately awaiting the arrival of new US aid.

Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi, said in a Sunday Telegram post that “the situation at the front has worsened” and described some of the heaviest fighting west of Avdiivka, the town that it fell to Russian forces in February. . In this direction, Ukrainian troops withdrew from the villages of Berdychiv, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka.

“By trying to seize the strategic initiative and break through the front line, the enemy concentrated the main efforts in several directions, creating a significant advantage in forces and means,” Syrskyi said.

The top Ukrainian commander said Russia has deployed four brigades, each consisting of several thousand soldiers, to advance on the towns of Kurakhovo and Pokrovsk, which are west of Avdiivka in the region east of Donetsk.

The call to withdraw from Berdychiv, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka was made to save “the lives and health of our defenders,” Syrskyi said.

“In general, the enemy achieved some tactical successes in these directions, but was unable to gain operational advantages,” he wrote. “Ukrainian troops cause maximum losses to the enemy, both in personnel and military equipment. To strengthen the defense in these directions, to replace the units that have suffered losses, brigades that have regained combat capability are being moved “.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) also reported that Ukrainian troops withdrew west of Avdiivka, but said the withdrawal did not “facilitate rapid Russian tactical gains”.

“Russian forces are unlikely to achieve deeper operational penetration in the area in the near term,” ISW said, although “Russian forces will likely continue to make tactical gains in the direction of Avdiivka in the coming weeks, and the Ukrainian commanders may decide to conduct additional withdrawals if Russian forces threaten other Ukrainian tactical positions in the area.”

Russian military blogger Rybar reported that Moscow was making key advances west of Avdiivka, stating that “troops have been systematically building on their success” beyond the fallen city and into several towns and villages.

Russian forces are moving in multiple directions to take the rest of the eastern Luhansk region, which they mostly control, and towards the city of Kupiansk in the neighboring Kharkiv region.

Syrskyi said Russia is also trying to advance on the larger cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, two long-time targets for Moscow that if taken would give them much wider control over the Donetsk region.

Ukrainian troops have blocked Russian advances towards the town of Siversk on the way to Sloviansk and are fighting a heated battle in the town of Chasiv Yar on the way to Kramatorsk, Syrskyi said.

Kiev has been holding back for months as it waits for more help from Washington. Although that package was finally approved last week and the Pentagon has announced that more assistance is on the way, it will likely take days for the much-needed weapons to reach the battlefield.

Russia has been moving more aggressively this spring, partly to seize the initiative after the delay in US aid to Ukrainian defenders, but also ahead of Victory Day on May 9, an important holiday for Russians who celebrates the victory over Nazi Germany in the World War. II.