Ukraine orders withdrawal of troops from Avdiivka town

Kiev, Feb 17 Ukrainian Armed Forces commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky on Saturday said that the country has ordered withdrawal of troops from Avdiivka town.

In a post on social media, Syrsky said: "To avoid encirclement and preserve the lives and health of servicemen, I decided to withdraw our units from the city and move to defence on more favorable lines."

The measure is being taken to stabilise the situation and maintain their positions in the area, he said, Xinhua news agency reported.

He also emphasised that the lives of military personnel are of utmost importance to Ukraine.

Earlier this week, local media reported that Russian forces advanced in Avdiivka, an industrial town in the Donetsk region, after fierce fighting with Ukrainian troops.