Ukrainian forces withdraw from Avdiivka to avoid encirclement, army chief says

In recent months, Russian forces have been attempting to capture the strategic city of Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine. This marks the most significant territorial gain for Russia since they seized Bakhmut last May. Ukrainian soldiers retreated from the city before dawn on Saturday, following orders from their new army chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi. The withdrawal came a day after President Volodymyr Zelensky's trip to western Europe and was Syrskyi's first major decision since being appointed last week.