MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin was first briefed on the liberation of Avdeyevka at 4 a.m. on February 17, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"The day before, on February 17, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff Valery Gerasimov personally came to the Kremlin to report to the president at 4 a.m. that the operation in Avdeyevka was drawing to an end. The military commanders came in for another report at 11 a.m.," he said.

During the second report, Shoigu and Gerasimov said the operation was almost complete, according to Peskov.

"At that time, the enemy started a mass rout from Avdeyevka and abandoned its combat positions. It took a few more hours for our fighters to start mopping up the city," Peskov said.

In the afternoon, Shoigu and Gerasimov, apprised to the president that "the operation has been fully completed and our troops have fully taken control of the city," Peskov said.