Mass Retreat of Enemy Forces and Abandonment of Combat Positions Has Begun – Peskov

Following the completion of the operation to capture Avdiivka, it took several hours for the units of the Russian Armed Forces (RAF) to initiate the operation to fully clear the settlement of fragmented groups of Ukrainian soldiers. This was reported by Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's official spokesperson. According to reports from RIA Novosti, Peskov stated that reports of a widespread retreat by the Ukrainian army emerged on the morning of February 17.

“At that moment, the mass flight of the enemy from Avdiivka and the abandonment of combat positions had already begun. Our fighters required a few more hours to clear the city,” said the press secretary of the President of Russia.

Earlier, Peskov stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin received the first reports of the capture of Avdiivka on the morning of February 17. He noted that Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported to the head of state about the operation's progress three times. Reports of complete control over the city were conveyed to Putin after lunch.