The Ukrainian Armed Forces named the losses of the Russians at Avdeevka

Russian troops lost at least 17 thousand soldiers and officers during the offensive in Avdeevka, Donetsk region. This was said on Saturday, February 17, by the representative of the Tavria operational-strategic group of troops, Dmitry Likhovoy, writes the BBC.

“During the capture of Avdeevka, 17 thousand Russian servicemen were killed,” said a representative of the Tavria operational-strategic group of troops.

According to him, in total, the occupying forces lost at least 47 thousand people in the battles for Avdeevka in the Donetsk region.

Russia has not published official data on its losses since September 2022.

Russian forces have tried several times to capture Avdiivka since a large-scale offensive began in February 2022. A large-scale offensive against it has been ongoing since the fall of 2023. Ukrainian defenders held the city until the end.

Avdeevka is a small industrial city near Donetsk, which was captured by pro-Russian separatists with the support of Russian troops almost 10 years ago – in the spring of 2014.

All these years, Avdiivka was held by Ukrainian troops, who built powerful defensive fortifications. Despite the proximity to the conflict line, at the beginning of a full-scale war the city was developing and growing economically.

We remind you that on the evening of February 17 it became known that the units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces left Avdiivka. This happened after several months of constant attacks by the Russian aggressors, who lost thousands of military personnel and hundreds of equipment in the battles for the city.

Today, President Vladimir Zelensky responded to the loss of Avdiivka.