Russian troops have lost “at least a brigade of troops” during their latest offensive in the ruined city of Avdiivka, with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky claiming they had suffered “painful losses”. This comes as news emerged that Putin’s troops had been executed for retreating from the offensive in the eastern city in Donetsk, according to the White House. “We have information that the Russian military has been actually executing soldiers who refuse to follow orders,” White House spokesperson John Kirby told a media briefing on Thursday. Ukrainian forces have been repelling the Russian onslaught on the frontline in Donetsk for several weeks since mid-October. In a call to Rishi Sunak, Zelensky said: “The invaders made several attempts to surround Avdiivka, but each time our soldiers stopped them and threw them back, causing painful losses. In these cases, the enemy lost at least a brigade.” Meanwhile, Oleksandr Shtupun, a spokesperson for Ukraine‘s southern groups of forces, said last week that Russian forces had suffered over 400 casualties a day in its campaign which has relied on small assault groups of 30 to 40 men. Read More A Russia without Putin? Be careful what you wish for... Moscow succession: What would happen if Putin dies? Russia is executing its own retreating soldiers as Ukraine offensive fails, says US