During the retreat of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Avdiyivka, up to a thousand Ukrainian soldiers could have been captured, The New York Times newspaper reported, referring to the assessments of the military and Western high-ranking officials. The Armed Forces categorically deny this figure.
In an article published by the newspaper on February 20, it is stated that from 850 to 1,000 soldiers may have been captured or are considered missing.
“Two soldiers with knowledge of the Ukrainian retreat estimated that between 850 and 1,000 soldiers appear to have been captured or are missing. Western officials said that this range appears to be accurate," the publication wrote.
Dmytro Lykhoviy, the spokesman for the Tavria operational-strategic military group, denied this information in a comment to BBC Ukraine , calling it "Russian narratives."
"In this case, the NYT is spreading Russian narratives."
He explained that at the last stage of the Avdiyiv operation, under the pressure of much larger enemy forces, a number of Ukrainian servicemen were captured. But it is not about hundreds of soldiers.
"Currently, we operate with the concept of "some number did not get in touch". After all, over time, individual servicemen, who were initially considered missing, get in touch on our side; they are in hospitals or joining their units."
According to Lykhovy, this message is part of the "informational aggression" that Russia uses along with bombs and shells.
"Statements of Russian propaganda regarding hundreds and thousands of prisoners are disinformation, which is not confirmed by anything. Or, to put it bluntly, it's a complete lie," said the spokesperson of Tavria Technical University.
He added that Russian soldiers were also captured by Ukrainian troops.
What the NYT writes
The NYT quotes Western officials as saying that the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops was poorly planned and "chaotic."
Citing interviews with soldiers, the newspaper writes that Ukrainian troops were not prepared for how quickly the Russian advance in Avdiivka unfolded last week.
Ukraine tried to buy time for the retreat of regular infantry forces, using special operations forces and the elite Third Separate Assault Brigade as cover. But the units could not slow down the advance of the Russians and withdraw every Ukrainian soldier.
"Chaotic retreat is not inevitable. It is difficult to withdraw the troops without significant losses, but it is possible if it is done in a conscious, unhurried operation, according to American strategists," the newspaper writes.
In their opinion, Ukraine waited too long to start a retreat in Avdiivka.
PHOTO AUTHOR, GETTY IMAGES Photo caption, Soviet monument to a fallen soldier near the destroyed buildings in Novoselivka Pershii near Avdiivka
Military officials interviewed by the NYT also said communications problems also contributed to the chaotic retreat.
NYT interlocutors suggested that some units retreated before others learned of the retreat. This put the remaining units at risk of encirclement by the Russians.
What the Ukrainian military says
At the same time, in an interview with BBC Ukraine, the deputy commander of the Third Separate Assault Brigade, Rodion Kudryashov, called leaving the operational encirclement "one of the best maneuvers in military art."
The brigade was sent near Avdiivka at the last stage, when the Ukrainian forces needed immediate reinforcements, including help in the event of a possible withdrawal.
Kudryashov explained the difficult conditions under which the retreat was taking place: the ratio of forces to the enemy was one to 11, there was a shortage of ammunition, the Russians dropped guided air bombs that burned everything around.
"In some cases, the soldiers of the 3rd brigade fought 360-degree battles," the soldier said.
However, according to him, the Russians were unable to close the ring, although they actually surrounded some of the Ukrainian units.
Despite the difficult retreat, Kudryashov considers it successful.
"Due to good planning and the qualities of the military, we prevented the ring from closing and opened the rings that the Russians were creating inside the city," he told BBC Ukraine.
On Saturday, February 17, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi announced the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Avdiyivka to "avoid encirclement and to preserve the lives and health of servicemen."
On the same day, the commander of the "Tavria" Armed Forces group, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, said that at the final stage of the operation, "under the pressure of the overwhelming enemy forces," several Ukrainian servicemen were captured.
Later, evidence of possible war crimes committed by the Russians emerged. Relatives of six dead soldiers found after the capture of the city say they were killed after being captured.
In a conversation with the BBC, several Ukrainian soldiers retreating from Avdiyivka mentioned that the command rejected the fighters' request to retreat until they were surrounded by Russia. When the order finally came, it was too late - the military was surrounded.
