Fighting near the village of Progress in eastern Ukraine reached a critical point when hundreds of Ukrainian troops were surrounded after Russian motorized rifle regiments broke through 6.5 km west of the ruins of Avdiyivka. The situation became more complicated when two parts of Russian forces closed a ring around two battalions of the 31st mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
At the time of the encirclement, there was no order to retreat, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrsky emphasized that his troops should not fight to the last man. This indicated the possibility of a future retreat order, but the situation remained tense.
The Ukrainian battalions surrounded near Progres received help through heavy drones that delivered food, water and ammunition. However, these resources could not endlessly supply the military and did not replace heavy ammunition or provide opportunities for evacuating the wounded.
The operation to break out of the encirclement became critical. Around 14:00 yesterday, as a result of the difficult situation, the observation posts of the 1st and 3rd battalions were completely surrounded. The brigade commander did not give the order to break through, which forced the personnel to act independently in conditions of limited time and resources.
Thanks to the coordinated work of artillery, air reconnaissance and related forces, the battalions were able to break out of the encirclement. The operation was extremely stressful and difficult; a delay of even a few hours could lead to the formation of a second encirclement ring, which could seriously strengthen Russian propaganda.
Fighters of the 31st and 47th mechanized brigades continue to fight and remain the main pillars of defense on this part of the front. The importance of this operation emphasizes the need for trust in sergeants and officers, who provide effective command and coordination of actions in critical situations on the front lines.
