MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Alexander Syrsky's order to abandon Avdeyevka was issued only 24 hours after Ukrainian troops began their uncontrolled flight from the town, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov reported.

"The order of the Ukrainian commander-in-chief Syrsky to abandon the town was issued only one day after the uncontrolled flight of Ukrainian troops from Avdeyevka began," he said.

Earlier, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu reported to Putin on the complete liberation of Avdeyevka by the battlegroup Center. This town near Donetsk was a major fortified stronghold of the Ukrainian military. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, as a result of the operation an area of 31.75 square kilometers was liberated. The enemy’s losses in the battle for Avdeyevka during the past 24 hours exceeded 1,500.

According to the spokesman, only a few scattered units of Ukrainian troops managed to leave Avdeyevka under the fire of Russian troops, abandoning their weapons. "At present, measures are being taken to finally clear the city of militants, to block the Ukrainian units that left the city and entrenched themselves in the Avdeyevka coke and chemical plant," Konashenkov added.