Vitaliy Barabash, the head of the Avdiyivka City Military Administration, said about the event on the TV air. Then, multiple videos appeared on social media, showing the Ukrainian flag over various districts of Donetsk, while Barabash published the video how they were launching the flag.
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
“Today marks the 245th anniversary of the foundation of Avdiyivka. We began the day with this activity – sending our national flag into the sky with balloons. It flew towards Donetsk. We’ve received interceptions; they seem a bit upset about it. They tried to shoot it down. However, our national flag is still flying over the Kyiv district of Donetsk,” Barabash stated.
Early on 9 September, a local Telegram channel, Tipichnyi Donetsk, shared several videos showcasing the Ukrainian flag soaring on balloons above the Kyiv and Kalininsky districts of occupied Donetsk.
Avdiyivka is the frontline city near the occupied Donetsk. Like Bakhmut before, Ukrainian troops have been defending it in a half-encirclement for more than a year now, not allowing Russians to advance further.