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At final stage of pullout from Avdeyevka some Ukrainian soldiers surrendered

The commander of the group Tavria, Alexander Tarnavsky did not specify how many soldiers had been taken prisoner

MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. Some Ukrainian servicemen have been taken prisoner despite the developed plan to withdraw military personnel from Avdeyevka, the commander of the group Tavria, Alexander Tarnavsky, has said.

"The withdrawal of personnel from Avdeyevka took place in accordance with the plan, developed with due regard for various scenarios and likely changes in the current situation. Yet at the final stage of the operation under the pressure of superior forces some Ukrainian servicemen were captured," he wrote on his Telegram channel.

Tarnavsky did not specify how many soldiers had been taken prisoner, but said that Ukraine would apply to international humanitarian organizations for securing their release. Earlier, the commander had already said that some military personnel were captured while trying to retreat from the city.

Avdeyevka has been turned by Ukrainian troops into one of the main fortified strongholds during the conflict in Donbass. At night, the newly-appointed commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, Aleksandr Syrsky, said he had made a decision to withdraw Ukrainian units from Avdeyevka. Tarnavsky then said that the Ukrainian forces had already withdrawn from Avdeyevka to pre-prepared positions.