Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said that the withdrawal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) from Avdiyivka, Donetsk Region, was strategic in order to preserve artillery and ammunition. She emphasized that it is necessary to approve additional funding for Ukraine from the United States.
She said this during a briefing, the press service of the Pentagon reports.
"It was a strategic withdrawal that Ukraine made in order to conserve their artillery and ammunition. Look, if we don't get more -- if we don't get the supplemental -- I outlined that at the very top -- but if we don't get the funding needed from the Senate -- or sorry, from the House to pass the Senate supplemental, we will not be able to provide these critical PDA packages and Ukraine will have to make choices and decisions on what cities, what towns they can hold with what they have and what partners can -- can continue to supply them," she said.
Singh emphasized that Ukrainians are fighting a critical battle for their lives and their country, and that is why additional assistance is urgently needed. She recalled that talks about this have been going on since October.
Also, the spokeswoman refused to predict which settlements the russians could capture in the near future.
"They are now at war. Of course, there are other cities that are under fire, under threat. I would refer you to the Ukrainians (regarding this issue - ed.). I am sure that they are not going to share with you their battle plans, but they are definitely on the front lines, fighting every day to hold every centimeter of territory. But I can't talk about every specific city," Singh explained.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, said that Ukrainian forces would not have had to leave Avdiyivka, Donetsk Region, if Ukraine had received the necessary ammunition.
On February 17, the AFU completed the operation to exit the semi-surrounded Avdiyivka.
On February 19, the AFU reported that the russian occupiers were conducting a sweep in Avdiyivka, Donetsk region. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian forces currently have no problems with logistical routes - the AFU of Ukraine have moved to reserve lines and set up a defense line.
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