(DailyDig.com) – On February 17, Russia stated that they had taken final control of a key eastern city in Ukraine, Avdiivka. According to Moscow officials, they eliminated the last of the Ukrainian resistance fighters inside the city’s large coke facility.
The Russian Defense Ministry made the announcement after the Ukrainian military said they were leaving Avdiivka because Russia’s forces had finally outnumbered them after four months of fighting. The city had become key in the battle between Russian and Ukrainian forces, as Russia would now be able to plan their offensive measures from there to finally accomplish their goal of capturing the Donetsk area.
President Putin of Russia sent an encouraging message to his troops, according to a state news agency. Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Kremlin, said the capture of the city was an “important victory” in the days leading up to their second-year anniversary of their invasion of Ukraine.
On February 18, President Zelensky of Ukraine announced to his country that their troops are fighting with all they have to drive Russia out of their country. He also stated that they have received support from the global community, which allows his troops to fight the overwhelming force of Russia.
A few military analysts from the West think that it may be possible for Ukraine to cause the Russian troops to fail in their mission to capture Donetsk by building lines of defense around Avdiivka. However, without global funding, Ukraine, the analysts believe, will continue to lose more of Donetsk than they already have.
The US White House has been working with lawmakers from the Senate and House to pass more funding for Ukraine’s war. Last week, the Senate passed legislation that would fund Ukraine with $60 billion without providing security for the southern border against the unvetted, open entry of foreign citizens.
Mike Johnson, the Republican House Speaker from Louisiana, has already stated that he rejects that legislation. The House is working on its own legislation to fund a strict, secure border as their main goal before providing any more funding for Ukraine.
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