After capturing the Awdijiwka on 17 February, the Russians pushed their tired combined forces westward. The momentum of the attacks by Ukrainians managed to halt on the improvised defence line of Opretyne-Orliwka. As I was told by a Polish volunteer from the 110th Mechanized Brigade, called the "Awdijiwska" who fought on this section of the front, advanced losses were made to the Russians in reverse battles due to the fact that they fell into ambushes from magnetic mines, drones and crossfire of the retreating Ukrainians. The Russians went blind and ran into the nests of Ukrainian device guns and grenade launchers. The crews of Russian tanks did not know where Ukrainian positions were and virtually ran into defenders who were waiting for the enemy.
