Expert Sivkov: the capture of Avdiivka took place by creating a threat of encirclement
The solution of the tasks of taking Avdiivka in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) occurred by creating a threat of encirclement, after which the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) fled the area. Konstantin Sivkov, academician and Deputy president of the Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences, told Izvestia on February 17.
"They took it, broke through the defense. <...> We can say that this is done according to the classics. Creating a threat of encirclement, after which the enemy leaves the area," he said.
Sivkov stressed that the solution of the tasks of taking fortified areas, as a rule, according to the experience of all armed conflicts and wars, begins precisely with the creation of an encirclement threat.
"This is how we took Aleppo, this is how we fought during the Great Patriotic War," he recalled, adding that this experience should be extended to the operational level.
The military expert concluded that the encirclement of the entire group on the right bank can be used in the future to destroy the entire front of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Earlier that day, during the report, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the Russian Armed Forces took full control of Avdiivka in the DPR, the enemy fled, abandoning weapons and military equipment. Information about the advance of Russian troops was not made public until the complete defeat of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the taking of control of the city. Shoigu stressed that the liberation of Avdiivka by the Russian military made it possible to move the front line away from Donetsk and, consequently, significantly secure the city from attacks by the Kiev regime. At the moment, the soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are carrying out measures aimed at cleaning Donetsk from the militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and blocking their units that left the city and settled at the Avdiivka coke plant.
After the report of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on the capture of Avdiivka, the Russian leader congratulated Russian servicemen on this success and an important victory on the battlefield. At the same time, he thanked the troops of the Center group and their commander, Colonel General Andrei Mordvichev, for fighting for Avdiivka.
On February 17, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, Alexander Syrsky, announced the withdrawal of the AFU units from Avdiivka. He clarified that the decision was made due to the current operational situation and the desire to avoid encirclement.
On February 17, the American Fox News channel called the liberation of Avdiivka in the DPR a significant victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin, which "marks a turning point" in the Ukrainian conflict in front of the whole world.
On February 16, the commander of the Tavria group of troops, Alexander Tarnavsky, reported that Ukrainian militants were retreating from destroyed positions in Avdiivka, which were located near Donetsk, and several Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers were captured while withdrawing from their positions.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, speaking at the Munich Conference, accused the West of insufficient assistance in armament, which led to the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Avdiivka.
In turn, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that Kiev decided to withdraw troops from Avdiivka not to save people, but because it can only fight for money. In her opinion, everything else does not matter to the Ukrainian authorities.
The special operation to protect Donbass, which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was made against the background of the aggravation of the situation in the region due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.
Watch more relevant videos and details about the situation in Donbass on the Izvestia TV channel.
