Ukrainian Armed Forces Chief Zaluzhnyi confirmed the capture of Maryinka by the Russian army and said that the city "no longer exists." He said this at a briefing, TSN reports.
The Commander-in-Chief noted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had withdrawn from the western outskirts of the city: in some places they dug in on the outskirts of Maryinka, and in others a little further.
Zaluzhnyi also suggested that in 2-3 months Avdiivka will be captured by the Russians. According to him, the General Staff is more concerned with saving people than territories. This is how he commented on the massive offensive of the Russian army on Avdiivka, which is increasingly being compared to Bakhmut captured by the Russians.
"We do not need to get stuck and make some kind of "show or sorrow" around a particular settlement. The conduct of military operations is subject to its own laws, which do not depend on whether deputies or journalists like it or not. The enemy has the opportunity to concentrate its forces in a certain direction. And they can do what happened to Bakhmut in two or three months. Every piece of land is precious to us, and we will defend it as long as we have the strength. If we don't have enough forces, we will save our people and then recapture it," Zaluzhnyi said.
