Ukrainian military units have relocated from Avdiyivka for pre-prepared positions, commander of the Tavria operational-strategic group of troops, Oleksandr Tarnavsky, has said.

“According to the received order, we left Avdiyivka to previously prepared positions,” he wrote in his telegram channel on Saturday night.

Tarnavsky said the enemy “is advancing on the corpses of his own soldiers with a ten to one advantage in shells, under constant bombardment. This is the only correct decision.” He noted that Ukrainian units were not encircled.

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksande Syrsky said Ukrainian troops did everything possible to destroy the best Russian military units, inflicted significant losses on the enemy in manpower and equipment.

“We are taking measures to stabilize the situation and maintain our positions. We will return Avdiyivka anyway,” Syrsky said on Facebook.