Fighting near the village of Progres in eastern Ukraine has reached a critical point, with hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers surrounded after Russian motorized rifle regiments broke through 6.5 km west of the ruins of Avdiivka. The situation became more complicated when two units 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 of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky, emphasized that his troops should not fight to the last man. This indicated the possibility of a future order to retreat, but the situation remained tense.
Ukrainian battalions surrounded near Progress received support from heavy drones that delivered food, water, and ammunition. However, these resources could not sustain the troops indefinitely and did not replace heavy ammunition or provide opportunities for the evacuation of the wounded.
The operation to break out of the encirclement became critically important. At about 2:00 p.m. yesterday, due to a difficult situation, the observation posts of the 1st and 3rd battalions were completely surrounded. The brigade commander did not give the order to break out, which forced the personnel to act independently in conditions of limited time and resources.
Thanks to the coordinated work of artillery, aerial reconnaissance, and allied forces, the battalions were able to break out of the encirclement. The operation was extremely tense and complex; a delay of even a few hours could have led to the formation of a second ring of encirclement, which could have seriously strengthened Russian propaganda.
The fighters of the 31st and 47th mechanized brigades continue to fight and remain the main pillars of defense on this sector of the front. The importance of this operation emphasizes the need for trust in the non-commissioned officers and officers, who on the front line provide effective command and coordination of actions in critical situations.
