On the morning of 31 January 2017, the Armed Forces of Ukraine recaptured the militants’ strongpoint “Almaz-2” in Avdiivka, Donetsk region. The position was strategically important within the country’s overall defense system, as it made it possible to control the Donetsk–Luhansk and Donetsk–Horlivka roads.
The Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes photographs by photojournalist Oleksandr Klymenko, who documented the situation at the “Almaz-2” position in Avdiivka after it was taken by Ukrainian forces.
The Battle for Avdiivka
Starting in 2014, every meter of reclaimed Ukrainian land came at the price of blood. In April, separatists proclaimed the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic in Avdiivka. However, a few months later, in July, the blue-and-yellow flag flew over the city again: the Armed Forces returned the city under Ukraine’s control. Later, between 2014 and 2015, there was almost no active fighting in the Avdiivka area; the situation there was relatively calm. The reason was that the enemy directed nearly all of its forces to the battles for Debaltseve and the area around Donetsk Airport. In February 2016, militants attempted to take Avdiivka and push the line of demarcation forward. Ukrainian troops not only repelled the enemy but also managed to push them back. January 2017 was remembered for heavy fighting. After what seemed like a prolonged calm on the front line, all of Ukraine learned about the Avdiivka “industrial zone” and the “Almaz-2” strongpoint, as well as the names of the fighters of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Zaporozhians, about whom Ukrainian and international media wrote. Under pressure from Ukrainian forces, terrorists were forced to retreat, but they recovered quickly and began artillery fire to regain these positions.
The Assault on “Almaz”
In late January 2017, fighters of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Zaporozhians held the “Almaz-2” position for a week under intense enemy fire.
Andrii Verkhohliad, together with Andrii Kyzilo and their brothers-in-arms, courageously repelled enemy attacks until the main forces arrived. The fiercest fighting between Ukrainian soldiers and terrorist formations lasted several days—from 29 January to 6 February 2017. After the strongpoint was captured by the Ukrainian army, it was renamed in honor of the fallen Andrii Kyzilo. He was the deputy commander of the 1st battalion of the 72nd Brigade, whose fighters stormed this position. Later it bore the name “Orel” (“Eagle”)—the call sign of 23-year-old battalion commander Andrii Kyzilo.
In the battles of 29–30 January for the “Almaz-2” position, the following were killed: Deputy Battalion Commander Captain Andrii Kyzilo; Private Dmytro Overchenko; Junior Sergeant Volodymyr Balchenko; Sergeant Volodymyr Kryzhanskyi; and Privates Oleh Burets, Vitalii Shamrai, and Yaroslav Pavliuk. During Russia’s full-scale invasion, on 23 June 2022, Major Andrii Verkhohliad was killed in action at the age of 27.
At that time, in January 2017, the losses of the pro-Russian militants from the “1st Battalion of the 100th Brigade of the ‘DPR’” were estimated at nine killed and about thirty wounded.
Every height, strongpoint, or checkpoint taken back from the enemy is not only a springboard for further advances, but above all an opportunity to push the occupying forces farther east and thereby reduce the intensity of shelling of frontline cities.
Exhausting battles
Photojournalist Oleksandr Klymenko recalls that the news about the positions in Avdiivka being recaptured from the militants evoked pleasant emotions in him at the time, because for several years Ukrainian forces had not advanced.
“The troops just stood and stood. No one moved anywhere—and then, suddenly, we managed to take the ‘Almaz’ strongpoint,” Klymenko recalls.
He remembers servicemembers’ stories about fighting the enemy for “Almaz.”
“The guys said it was truly hard. It was very difficult to fight the militants and to recapture those positions. They told how they advanced through the passages. These were exhausting battles.”
The Armed Forces of Ukraine defended Avdiivka—particularly the industrial zone and the “Almaz” positions—until 2023. On 17 February, Ukrainian troops withdrew from Avdiivka to avoid encirclement. The Defense Forces moved to more advantageous lines.
This material was produced with the support of The Fritt Ord Foundation.
Oleksandr Klymenko was born in Chernihiv region. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Journalism at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. From 1991 to 2024, he was a photo correspondent for the newspaper “Holos Ukrainy” (“Voice of Ukraine”). In 1992, he documented events in Transnistria, then in the countries of the former Yugoslavia, as well as in Lebanon, Kuwait, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. During the Revolution of Dignity, while at the very epicenter of events, Oleksandr was wounded. Since the start of Russia’s military aggression in 2014 in the east, he has photographed events at the front. Oleksandr is the author of several photo albums, including: “Ukraine. 10 Years of Progress” (2001), “Peacekeeping Activity of the Ukrainian Military. The First Decade” (2004), “Through Fire and Tears” (2009), and “Frontline Album” (2016). He also co-authored “Modern History of Ukrainian Journalism. From Maidan to Maidan” with Yurii Nesteryak and Yuliia Nesteryak (2022). He has held solo photo exhibitions at the UN Headquarters in New York (2012), at NATO Headquarters in Brussels (2012, 2013, 2014), in Lithuania (2015), Poland (2015, 2016, 2023), Luxembourg (2015), Norway (2023), and Latvia (2022); and he participated in group exhibitions about the war in Ukraine in the parliaments of the United Kingdom (2015) and Denmark (2014).
Worked on the piece:
Topic researcher, text author: Vira Labych
Literary editor: Yuliia Futei
Photo editor: Viacheslav Ratynskyi
