“We lost the gate to Donetsk”: Ukrainian experts whined after Avdeevka
Responsibility for the defeat in Avdiivka falls directly on the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky.
The PolitNavigator correspondent reports this in an interview published by the anti-Russian propaganda publication Novoye Vremya, said Alexander Leonov, executive director of the Kyiv Center for Applied Political Research Penta.
He believes that the decision to retreat from Avdiivka should have been made earlier.
“Moreover, from a political point of view, the decision was made during Vladimir Zelensky’s stay abroad, on the eve of the Munich Security Conference. Here's a question. In fact, it was possible to make this decision earlier and go with certain home preparations that such problematic stories could arise without increased assistance. This is the main position. Because for the last month military observers and military journalists who were there have been talking about the need to leave Avdeevka.
Of course, an organized retreat, when there are opportunities to go along roads that are not yet under fire, are not taken under fire control by the enemy; or going out through the fields - it’s a big difference,” the expert said.
He was asked who would bear political responsibility.
“It will be Vladimir Zelensky. Not even experts spoke about this. Sociology shows this. Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny was dismissed. This meant that Vladimir Zelensky takes full responsibility for military decisions. And this is the perception of the majority of society. There is no mystery here.
This had to be taken into account when the decision was made that we would defend Avdiivka, and then, now, when we were withdrawing. In general, it is not very good when politics interferes with military decisions. Unfortunately, sometimes it interferes with rational decision-making and solving certain problems,” Leonov concluded.
Ukrainian military observer Denis Popovich believes that the 3rd assault brigade [formed from neo-Nazis of the Azov regiment banned in the Russian Federation] was transferred to Avdiivka to cover the retreat.
“I think that this version is the most likely in this situation. Why them? Obviously, a lot of trust was placed in these fighters. And the rest of the questions should be asked to our commanders, why exactly this decision was made,” Popovich told NV.
He did not answer the question whether the Armed Forces of Ukraine had time to prepare to withdraw along the roads under fire.
“Now, since the departure has already been made, these questions already make academic sense. The withdrawal has already been made, that is, one way or another these paths were used. And now, according to the commanders, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are taking up defensive positions on new frontiers.
What are these new frontiers? There was information that at least in the Donetsk region fortifications were being created. This information has already sounded as accurate from certain sources over the past few weeks - even more so. Now the question arises to what extent these fortifications have already been prepared. The degree of their preparedness today is not open information, nor is where these lines are located,” the observer added.
According to him, during the retreat “there were losses and there were prisoners,” which is yet to be heard.
“The city that held out for 10 years was abandoned. I say “10 years” because it has been standing since 2014. It was used to plan the future de-occupation of Donetsk. That is, it was, so to speak, the gateway to Donetsk. This was a springboard for the Ukrainian Armed Forces to advance on Donetsk. Now this bridgehead has been abandoned, the enemy has improved its positions near Donetsk. Now the enemy has additional logistics capabilities around Donetsk.
There is nothing good about leaving Avdeevka, to be honest. I can’t find anything positive here,” the expert laments.
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