Tavriia Operational Strategic Group explains why Avdiivka must be held

The Tavriia Operational Strategic Group has explained why it is important to hold Avdiivka and stressed that in the most difficult circumstances on the battlefield, soldiers’ lives are the priority.

Source: Dmytro Lykhovii, spokesperson for the Tavriia Operational Strategic Group, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine

Quote: "Holding Avdiivka is important in order to prevent Russian artillery and Russian terror from moving further to the west of Donetsk Oblast. To grind down Russian resources and reserves, to deplete their armada. 

But I would like to emphasise once again that in the most difficult circumstances on the battlefield, the priority is the lives of the soldiers. We fight with iron and heads, not with iron and ‘cannon fodder’.

...So, for several days now, fighting has been going on in urban areas, with all the specifics of using assets and personnel in that operational environment. Russia is also assaulting the city from the south.

It has been recorded that the enemy sometimes simultaneously uses small assault groups of up to a squad from several brigades or regiments. This is evidence of how large the enemy's forces simultaneously deployed in Avdiivka were. 

...At the same time, when the situation becomes critical on a street or alley in Avdiivka and it makes no sense to defend a whole pile of stones, the priority of every commander is to save the lives of the soldiers, use a flexible approach to combat and move to other positions, to the second line of defence. This is so that the surviving soldiers can then regain their lost positions. This is how troops manoeuvre in threatened areas.

...The enemy uses different sets of tactics. Mostly it’s assault actions by small infantry groups, sometimes armoured vehicles and tanks join them for reinforcement. But street fighting has its own specifics. Recently, significant losses in armoured vehicles have forced the occupiers to move to assaults on foot. They are throwing forward convicts, former criminals and those who are spared the least. This is evident from the ones who are taken prisoner.

But in general, this is a strong, trained enemy, a regular army – mostly motor rifle regiments, sometimes also airborne troops and special operations forces. This should not be underestimated."

Details: Lykhovii added that, as of 14 February, military units and formations of the 1st Army Corps, 2nd and 8th Armies and 41st Army Corps of the Russian Armed Forces were fighting against the Ukrainian Defence Forces on the Avdiivka front.

Lykhovii said that the Russian army has a political objective to capture at least one city before the presidential elections in Russia in March.

Quote: "And it should be understood that many settlements to the west of Avdiivka may become a second Mariupol, a second Bakhmut and a second Bucha unless Ukrainians join the Armed Forces, support mobilisation, and donate to the Armed Forces."

Background: 

• Fierce fighting continues in Avdiivka. The Ukrainian Defence Forces are confronting Russian special forces and airborne troops on that front.
• On 15 February, the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade confirmed that it had been urgently redeployed to reinforce Ukrainian troops on the Avdiivka front and reported that two Russian brigades had been critically damaged there, but that Ukrainian defenders were "fighting 360 degrees" and that the Russians were deploying new forces to Avdiivka.

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