A few days before the second anniversary of the start of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the Kiev army, faced with a growing lack of resources, was forced to withdraw its troops to the town of Avdiïvka, in the east of the country. .
At the same time, Emmanuel Macron called for a “European surge” in the face of the Russian threat, after signing a bilateral security agreement with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky. This text is supposed to guarantee long-term civil and military support for Ukraine.
Information to remember
⇒ Ukraine withdraws its troops from Avdiïvka
⇒ In Russia, around a hundred people arrested during rallies in memory of Navalny
⇒ Paris and kyiv signed a bilateral security agreement
Ukraine withdraws its troops from Avdiivka
This Saturday, February 17, the Ukrainian army was forced to abandon the town of Avdiïvka, in the east of the country, as announced by Ukrainian general Oleksandr Tarnavsky, who commands this area, in a message published on the Telegram social network. A “fair” decision to “save lives”, assures President Volodymyr Zelensky. “In the situation where the enemy advances by walking over the corpses of its own soldiers and ten times more shells […]this is the only right decision,” General Tarnavsky said.
Faced with a growing lack of resources due in particular to the blocking of American military aid, Ukraine could hardly avoid this withdrawal in the face of Russia which, with more soldiers and ammunition, was pushing its troops to obtain this conquest.
This withdrawal concedes to Moscow its greatest symbolic victory after the failure of the counter-offensive launched by kyiv last summer. Avdiïvka, which had around 34,000 inhabitants before the Russian invasion, is today largely destroyed. Some 900 civilians still remain there, according to local authorities. Moscow hopes its capture will make Ukrainian bombing of Donetsk more difficult.
Death of Navalny: around a hundred people arrested during rallies in Russia
According to the specialized NGO OVD-Info, a total of a hundred people were arrested during several rallies in Russia, the majority of which in Saint Petersburg, in memory of the opponent Alexeï Navalny, who died in prison this Friday. The Moscow authorities had previously warned the Russians against any demonstration.
From Europe to the United States, hundreds of people gathered in many cities, like Warsaw, where demonstrators chanted “Putin, assassin.” There were also several hundred of them in Berlin, in front of the Russian embassy, shouting “Putin, murderer! Putin in The Hague!” – city where the International Court of Justice sits – or on the other side of the Atlantic, in front of Moscow’s permanent representation in Washington.
Furthermore, the British government summoned diplomats from the Russian embassy on Friday evening to let them know that Moscow would be held “fully responsible” for the death of Alexeï Navalny. London called for a “full and transparent investigation”, like UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Ukrainian bombing kills three in Donetsk region
At least three people, including a teenager, died following a bombing in Panteleimonivka, a village in the Donetsk region, controlled by Russian forces, an official of the occupation authorities said this Saturday. The village is located only about 20 kilometers from the front line, and about the same distance northeast of Donetsk, the regional capital.
At the same time, the Russian Ministry of Defense assured this Saturday morning that it had “intercepted and destroyed” 33 Ukrainian drones launched towards Russia. These devices were shot down in the regions of Bryansk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk and Kaluga, all located in the west of the country and the majority of which border Ukraine.
Paris and kyiv sign a bilateral security agreement
Meeting in Paris, the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, signed a bilateral security agreement on Friday evening supposed to guarantee long-term civil and military support for Ukraine.
After the conclusion of this agreement, the French head of state called for a “European surge” to face “Vladimir Putin’s Russia”, “which has become a methodical actor in the destabilization of the world”. Emmanuel Macron made particular reference to “disinformation actions” and cyberattacks launched by Moscow.
Thus, France has committed to providing “up to 3 billion euros” of “additional” military aid to Kiev in 2024, after support which it estimates at 1.7 billion in 2022 and 2.1 billion in 2023. These sums will be added to the approximately seven billion announced by Berlin. The text signed with Germany also plans to support Ukraine after the war so that it can equip itself with a modern army capable of repelling other possible attacks from Russia in the future.
This Saturday, Zelensky is expected again in Germany, where he will address Western leaders and ensure broad mobilization in favor of his country, in difficulty facing Russian troops. In addition to US Vice-President Kamala Harris, he is expected to have a new face-to-face meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.