Ukraine troops withdraw from Avdiivka. Zelensky says to ‘save our soldiers’

Russia-Ukraine War: Zelensky said, “The ability to save our people is the most important task for us."

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that a decision to pull back troops from the eastern frontline city Avdiivka was made to "save our soldiers' lives".

Russia-Ukraine War: A Ukrainian soldier sits amid the rubble of a nearly destroyed building, in Avdiivka, Ukraine. (Reuters)

"In order to avoid being surrounded, it was decided to withdraw to other lines. This does not mean that people retreated some kilometres and Russia captured something, it did not capture anything," he told the Munich Security Conference.

"The ability to save our people is the most important task for us," he added.