The fall of Avdiivka is a symbolic loss for Ukraine
After several months of fighting, the Ukrainian army finally on Saturday withdrew from the town of "Avdiivka" near Donetsk, and control of this strategic town fell into the hands of Russian forces.
The American newspaper New York Times believes that the fall of the city "Avdiivka" is a "strategic and symbolic blow" for Ukraine. Control of Donetsk has been in the hands of Russia and its allied forces since 2014 and with the start of unrest in Ukraine, now with the capture of Avdiivka, the security of this important region on Russia's western borders is in Moscow's hands. The "New York Times" described the loss of Ukrainians in Avdiivka as a "strategic and symbolic blow" to the country's army and wrote that this city was the headquarters of Ukraine's defense in the Donetsk region. The Ukrainians were defending their military positions in this city in the west of this region and thus constantly put the city of Donetsk under their threat. Meanwhile, in a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart, the US president linked Kiev's withdrawal from the key city of Avdiivka directly to Congress' inability to approve more aid to Ukraine to prevent Russian aggression. In a phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky, Joe Biden emphasized Washington's commitment to continue supporting Ukraine. Biden declared: The Ukrainian military was forced to withdraw from Avdiivka after Ukrainian troops were forced to ration ammunition due to reduced supplies as a result of congressional inaction, leading to Russia's first significant victory this month. Biden also stressed the need for the US Congress to approve the latest aid package for Ukraine, which is currently blocked by Republicans. Earlier, US Vice President Kamala Harris at the Munich Security Conference said that Washington should not play political games over Ukraine. Russia has said its forces have taken full control of Avdiivka. The capture of Avdiivka could create a new avenue for Russia and Russian forces to advance on other strategic cities, including Pokrovsk, in the northwest of the region, which is a logistics hub for the Ukrainian military. Avdiivka, which is the gateway to the occupied Donetsk region, has been the scene of heavy fighting for months and has been almost completely destroyed. Taking control of Avdiivka is Russia's biggest advance since the capture of Bakhmut in May. The New York Times wrote that Avdiivka had also become a symbol of "Ukrainian resistance" since the conflict began in 2014, and its fall could affect the morale of the Ukrainian military. As the full-scale war in Ukraine continues, Ukrainian soldiers have said the order to withdraw from Avdiivka was issued too late. Russian President Vladimir Putin after the capture of the strategic city "Avdiivka" in eastern Ukraine congratulated the country's armed forces on this "important victory".
