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Hundreds of Ukrainian Troops Feared Captured or Missing in Chaotic Retreat

Written by Jonathan Teubner | Feb 20, 2024 1:00:00 PM

The New York Times

 

The fall of Avdiivka to Russia may be more significant than it initially seemed as Ukraine struggles with morale and recruitment

The Russian capture of Avdiivka has emerged as a significant symbolic loss for Ukrainian troops, a sign of the battlefield impact of the failure of the U.S. Congress, so far, to approve more military assistance as dwindling supplies of artillery shells make it even harder to hold the line.

Estimates of how many Ukrainians were captured or missing vary, and a precise count may not be possible until Ukraine solidifies new defensive lines outside the city. But two soldiers with knowledge of Ukraine’s retreat estimated that 850 to 1,000 soldiers appear to have been captured or are unaccounted for. The Western officials said that range seemed accurate.

 

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