Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The Russian-Ukrainian war continues. Approaching the 2nd anniversary of the war, both of them are still attacking each other and trying to take over each other's territory.

Most recently, Russia succeeded in controlling a city on the front line of their second battlefield, Avdiivka. Ukraine's military chief said on Saturday (17/2/2024) that his troops were withdrawing from the city after months of fierce fighting.

Although the Russian Defense Ministry said that Ukrainian units were still entrenched in factories in the city, the advance on Avdiivka was Moscow's biggest advance since they captured the city of Bakhmut in May.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Avdiivka's capture an “important victory.” The reason is, this seizure occurred amidst an acute shortage of ammunition in Ukraine, while United States (US) military assistance to Kyiv was delayed for months in Congress.

It is also the clearest sign yet of how the tide of the war has turned in Moscow's favor after Ukraine's counteroffensive failed to penetrate Russia's defense lines last year.

“The head of state congratulated the Russian army on this success, an important victory,” the Kremlin said in a statement on its website, quoted by Reuters.

Capturing the city would likely provide a morale boost to Russia ahead of Putin's bid for re-election next month. So far, some observers say Putin is almost certain to win.

It is also seen as another step to secure Moscow's hold on the regional center of Donetsk, some 20 km to the east, which has been controlled by Russian and pro-Russian forces since 2014.

Russia has not provided details about the losses it suffered in the brutal fighting. However, Ukrainian officials and Western military analysts say Russia's progress has come at the cost of huge losses in personnel and armored vehicles.

Putin's telegram paid tribute to the soldiers who died in the campaign, saying: “Eternal glory to the heroes who fell in the fulfillment of special military operations tasks!”

Additionally, it appears that Russia still does not have full control over the Avdiivka beverage and chemical factory on the North-Western edge of the city. The factory is known to be Avdiivka's last stronghold for Ukraine.

“Measures were taken to completely clear the city of militants and block the Ukrainian units that have left the city and are entrenched in the Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a video published on the ministry's Telegram channel. .

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden this week warned that Avdiivka could fall into Russian hands due to ammunition shortages facing Ukrainian forces. This condition follows months of congressional Republican resistance to a new US military aid package for Kyiv.

A White House statement on Saturday said Biden had called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to underscore Washington's commitment to continuing to support Ukraine and reiterated the need for Congress to quickly pass a package providing Ukrainian troop supplies.

“The troop withdrawal (from Avdiivka) was forced by Ukraine due to reduced supplies due to congressional inaction, which forced the Ukrainian army to ration ammunition and resulted in Russia's first important gains in months,” the statement said.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

(tps/wur)