Ukraine Withdraws Units from Avdiivka, Deploys Elite Brigade

By Tom Balmforth and Yuliia Dysa

KYIV – On Thursday, Ukraine announced a strategic withdrawal of troops from certain areas of the eastern town of Avdiivka to more favorable positions after months of intense combat. Meanwhile, veteran reserve fighters from an elite brigade have joined the ongoing battle.

Russia is attempting to encircle Avdiivka nearly two years after its large-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Ukraine’s hold on the town seems increasingly precarious as supply lines come under threat.

Securing Avdiivka is crucial for Russia’s objective of gaining full control over the two provinces within the industrial Donbas region. This would potentially provide President Vladimir Putin with a significant battlefield success to showcase to voters as he seeks re-election next month.

Ukrainian military spokesman Dmytro Lykhoviy indicated that there is a maneuver underway to pull troops back to more advantageous positions, and where possible, to dislodge Russian forces. He noted that resupplies to Avdiivka and evacuations have become challenging.

Lykhoviy also mentioned that the military had activated a "reserve logistics artery" that had been prepared beforehand. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in his nightly address, stated that efforts were being made to provide sufficient resources and management capabilities to protect the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.

One of Ukraine’s elite fighting units, the Third Assault Brigade, has been deployed to Avdiivka to bolster the defenses. The brigade characterized the situation in the town as "hell" and "threatening and unstable," while reporting successful operations against Russian forces that resulted in heavy casualties for the opposing side.

The brigade had previously participated in a counteroffensive in eastern Ukraine last summer and had fought in the lengthy battle of Bakhmut, which fell to Russian forces last May. The unit reported that the Russian military continues to rotate its troops and strengthen its presence in Avdiivka.

Deputy commander Maksym Zhorin described the intensity of the fighting in Avdiivka as more severe than that experienced in Bakhmut, highlighting that Ukrainian forces are currently outnumbered and outgunned.

Russian troops have been attempting to advance on Avdiivka since October, surrounding the town on three sides and limiting supply routes for the entrenched Ukrainian defenders. Lykhoviy stated that around 50,000 Russian troops have concentrated their efforts on the Avdiivka front, utilizing small but increasingly larger tactical assault groups as well as armored vehicles.

Ukraine’s military efforts are also facing significant hurdles due to uncertainties surrounding future U.S. military assistance and ongoing challenges related to artillery shortages. Many troops have been engaged in combat for almost two years along a vast 1,000-kilometer front.

Zelenskiy recently replaced his popular army chief and is set to visit France and Germany soon, likely seeking support for urgent new military aid.

Avdiivka, which now has fewer than 1,000 residents from a pre-war population of 32,000, lies just north of the Russian-held stronghold of Donetsk, which Ukraine lost control of in 2014 following an uprising supported by Moscow. The town is home to a significant coking plant that has ceased operations due to the ongoing conflict.

Both Russia and Ukraine regard Avdiivka as vital for securing control over the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces and as a strategic gateway to the city of Donetsk itself, where residential areas have been subjected to shelling, sometimes originating from Avdiivka.