Why the Fall of Avdiivka is a Huge Victory for Putin

For Russians, the capture of the fortress town marks the end of a long and tragic story that started ten years ago this month.

Last week the Eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka finally fell to the Russian onslaught. The town, which The New York Times described as a “longtime stronghold” of the Kiev regime, had formed the linchpin of the Ukrainian defensive lines along the Donetsk oblast, and its loss was a cause for despair among Ukrainians and solemn celebration among Russians.

Russian soldiers raise their unit flag in Avdiivka. [Source: The Guardian — video screen grab]

For some western media outlets, this huge Russian victory is being downplayed. For example Euronews ran the story with a comically weak subtitle:

“Experts are saying the capture of the city in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine is not a significant operation victory for Moscow”.

These “experts” however are not mentioned or even cited in the article — probably because they do not exist.

In fact, the capture of Avdiivka is a giant victory for the Russian people — and a major propaganda win for Putin.

Why Avdiivka matters to Russians