This is what remains of the eastern Ukrainian town of
Avdiivka. After months of grinding combat, Ukraine's top
military commander ordered troops to pull out of the besieged
town on Saturday giving Russia its most significant battlefield victory
since taking Bach in May 2023. It shows how
Russian forces may be regaining the initiative in Ukraine as
Kiev grapples with critical shortages of weapons and soldiers.
Here's what the fall of Avdiivka means for both sides
of the war and Ukraine's western backers. Ukrainian commanders
said they were outnumbered and outgunned by Russian forces.
The new army chief Oleksander Sy pulled back troops to
preserve lives and prevent being encircled, renewed efforts to
take Ivka after Ukraine's counter offensive failed last year in
doing so. Moscow took heavy losses of men and
equipment. Ukraine believes that almost 50,000 Russian soldiers died
and hundreds of vehicles were destroyed despite this capturing of
DKA is key to Russia's aim of securing control of
the Eastern Donbass region. Military analysts say this will
allow Moscow to develop Donetsk as a major logistics hub
. So it's about 12 miles from Donetsk City.
It's on the high ground so it's a good place
to launch attacks towards Donetsk. And so Russia has
been for years trying to retake it to create a
little more of a buffer zone around Donetsk City.
It also hands Russian President Vladimir Putin a battlefield victory
as he seeks re election in March, especially as
neither side had made a significant breakthrough in well over
a year. Ukraine losing Ivka is a blow to
troop morale and it's happening as Ukraine runs critically low
on ammunition and manpower. Soldiers said they sometimes have
to save ammunition and hold fire even when Russian soldiers
are in their sights. National Security Council spokesman John
Kirby said the lack of shells is partly to blame
for the situation in Ivka. Russia is sending wave
after wave of conscript forces to attack Ukrainian positions and
because Congress has yet to pass the supplemental bill,
we've not been able to provide Ukraine with the artillery
shells that they desperately need to disrupt these Russian assaults
. Last week, the controlled Senate passed an aid
package with about$60 billion related to Ukraine. But
now the bill faces hurdles in the Republican run house
because of the influence of former President Donald Trump who
opposes more Ukraine aid. Ukraine's president said he's prepared
to show Trump what's happening in his country if he
will come. I am ready even to go with
him to the front line. Military analysts don't believe
taking Avor decisively tipped the war in Russia's favor.
It's not a major crossroads which are very important.
There's not a major rail line which Russia uses to
move supplies. So it really would just be a
symbolic factor. A Russian gains show the enormous challenge
Ukraine faces if us and European support waivers. President
Biden said he told Zelensky, he's confident that Congress
will ultimately approve additional funding for Ukraine. The Ukrainian
people have fought so bravely and heroically, they put
so much on the line. The idea that now
running out of ammunition, you walk away. I
find it ad I find it, I find it
just everything we are as a country. So I'm
going to fight till we get, get them the
ammunition they need and the capacity they need to defend 00:04:03.618 --> themselves.