In an attempt to shoot down a giant Ukrainian flag carried by air balloons from the Ukrainian-controlled town of Avdiyivka to Russian-occupied Donetsk City in the Donetsk Oblast (eastern Ukraine) on 9 September, the Russian military revealed their firing positions, according to Vitalii Barabash, the head of the Avdiyivka Military Administration, Novynarnya reported.
On 9 September 2023, in honor of the 245th Avdiyivka City Day, the Ukrainian military released balloons carrying the national flag into the sky. The flag flew over occupied Donetsk.
Ukrainian troops have been defending Avdiyivka for more than a year now. https://t.co/JerGpwHg3P pic.twitter.com/VSXsQwqCTC
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) September 9, 2023
According to Vitalii Barabash, the Ukrainian Armed Forces used information about Russian firing positions to strike at them.
“When the Ukrainian flag flew from Avdiyivka to Donetsk, the Russians tried to shoot it down with all the means at their disposal and revealed all their firing positions. And yesterday [on 9 September], the 110th Brigade worked very hard on this,” Vitalii Barabash said.
Launching the Ukrainian flag over occupied Donetsk on Avdiyivka’s City Day has become a traditional annual event. This time, the flag was so big that it had to be unfurled at the stadium.
“To be honest, it was probably the most successful flag launch [from Avdiyivka to Donetsk – ed.] ever. For several hours, the Ukrainian flag was flying over occupied Donetsk. I had a lot of messages from people living in the occupied territory, who told me they are waiting for the liberation of Donetsk,” Vitalii Barabash said.
On 9 September, a massive flag of Ukraine attached to red and black balloons launched by the Ukrainian military and volunteers from neighboring Avdiyivka flew into occupied Donetsk. The flag floated over several districts of occupied Donetsk and landed in the Leninsky district of the city.
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