‘The conflict between Zelensky and Zaluzhnyi’: Military expert Bild named one of the reasons for the capture of Avdiivka by the Russians

The conflict between former Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhnyy and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky became one of the reasons for the situation in Avdiivka.

This is written by the military observer of the German newspaper Bild, Julian Röpke.

The president and the general had different approaches to the Avdiivka problem, and their dispute escalated precisely because of the Russian assault on this city, the journalist believes.

“Zaluzhnyy wanted to prevent the encirclement and withdrawal of troops at the last minute with significant losses, as had already happened in May 2023 in Bakhmut. Zelensky, however, insisted on defending Avdiivka until the last minute. Instead of retreating in mid-November, as Zaluzhnyy demanded, the president himself went to the city at the end of December,” writes Röpke.

There Zelensky promised to rotate and strengthen the defenders of Avdiivka, “but it took six weeks before reinforcements arrived. The fighters of the Third Assault Brigade, who arrived only this week, ultimately only managed to facilitate the retreat of the Ukrainian army from Avdiivka.”

Röpke believes that Avdiivka could become “just a preliminary culmination of a whole series of Russian conquests and defeats of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Ukraine.”