According to claims by the Russian Ministry of Defense, Russian forces destroyed an infantry fighting vehicle belonging to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) during an attempted withdrawal from Avdiivka. A video released by the ministry purportedly shows Ukrainian troops retreating along a road and images of damaged Ukrainian equipment positioned roadside as soldiers appear to move in a long, unbroken line through the village.
In the course of the battle for Avdiivka, reports recounted that during the Ukrainian operation to break through Ukrainian lines, Russian troops reportedly advanced to a depth of 8.6 kilometers. The ministry asserted that the overall area reached by Central Group of Forces troops amounted to 31.75 square kilometers. As a result of ongoing clashes, Ukrainian forces were said to have sustained substantial personnel losses, with figures circulated indicating around 1,500 soldiers were killed or wounded from Ukrainian units.
Further coverage later described the Ukrainian retreat from Avdiivka as a critical setback. The information was also carried by the French broadcaster LCI, which purportedly confirmed the withdrawal of Ukrainian servicemembers and noted criticism directed at command decisions, including the timing of the withdrawal order.
Earlier remarks from Germany linked the defeat to ongoing tensions between the Ukrainian military leadership and the country’s political leadership, hinting at friction between the former commander-in-chief, Zaluzhny, and President Zelensky. The broader narrative underscored the way leadership dynamics were being interpreted against a backdrop of the broader conflict in the region.