MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/. The General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces did everything possible to free Avdeyevka with minimal losses and maximum efficiency, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"The operation was prepared carefully and thoroughly. The General Staff did everything to ensure that it was carried out effectively and with minimal losses," Shoigu said.

The Minister added that the US and Western instructors virtually control the Armed Forces of Ukraine and their military science is failing during a special operation.

"The United States and NATO instructors meticulously organized everything for this large-scale counteroffensive last year. That's why their failure came as such a shock," he said.

"Those approaches, technology, and methods that they used in other areas and attempted to apply here were, in general, are a complete failure. We cannot say that their military science has reached unprecedented heights," Shoigu added.