MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Battlegroup Tavria has retreated from its positions in Avdeyevka’s southeastern suburbs in the Kiev-controlled part of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the group’s commander Alexander Tarvansky said.

"The battlegroup’s command had made a decision to leave the positions <…> in Avdeyevka’s southeastern suburbs. <…> This decision is geared to save the personnel," he wrote on his Telegram channel, adding that Ukrainian troops had been holding their position as long as they could.

The Ukrainian General Staff said on Friday that Ukrainian forces "are conducting maneuvers in threatened areas" near Avdeyevka. In recent days, Ukrainian military experts have been describing the situation in Avdeyevka as critical, drawing parallels with what was going on in Artyomovsk (known as Bakhmut in Ukraine), where Ukraine sustained huge losses. Servicemen of the Ukrainian army’s third assault brigade, which is deployed to Avdeyevka, called the situation in the city hellish.

The Washington Post reported earlier on Friday, citing the Ukrainian military, that they think Avdeyevka will fall soon and that the partial withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from this city has already begun.

Tavria Battlegroup spokesman Dmitry Likhovoy said earlier that Ukrainian forces had been forced to use standby logistics routes to ensure supplies to Avdeyevka. Some experts say that there is no point in holding the city any longer.