DONETSK, February 19. /TASS/. Russian forces have seized dozens of pieces of Ukrainian military equipment after liberating the city of Avdeyevka, Igor Kimakovsky, adviser to the head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), told TASS.

"While fleeing Avdeyevka, the Ukrainian armed forces left behind not only wounded troops but also military equipment and ammunition. Dozens of the enemy’s military hardware has been seized as trophies. However, this is not the end," Kimakovsky said.

He specified that there were a lot of cannon artillery pieces among the trophies. In addition, Western-made ammunition was found at former Ukrainian positions.

On February 17, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin that the Russian army had taken full control of Avdeyevka, a key city in the Donbass region. The Russian Defense Ministry stressed that reports on the advance of Russian forces had not been made public until the complete defeat of Ukrainian troops. According to the ministry, after taking Avdeyevka, located 13 kilometers north of Donetsk, units of Russia’s Battlegroup Center continue to carry out offensive actions in the DPR.