This century’s first major war of attrition is destined to continue as long as the combatants, Russia and Ukraine, calculate it’s in their best interests to do so, writes DanDePetris. 'We are nowhere near the light at the end of the tunnel.'
After a month of holding out, the Ukrainian high command ordered the remaining defenders in Severodonetsk, the administrative capital of Luhansk, to beat a tactical retreat out of the city and fortify their defenses in Lysychansk, the sister city to the west of the Seversky Donets River."Remaining in positions smashed to pieces over many months just for the sake of staying there does not make sense," Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai said.
The Ukrainians may have believed that maximum resistance was necessary to tie Russia’s combat units into a single area, giving the Ukrainian army extra time to work on fortifying its defenses in other parts of the Donbas. But that strategy isn’t cost-free for Ukrainian defenders, who are experiencing a rate of attrition that’s unsustainable.
"Ukraine lost large numbers of troops by extending its defense of Severodonetsk beyond when it was militarily clear the city would fall, and Kyiv gained nothing of strategic value in the delay," Davis said."By withdrawing only across the river to Lysychansk, Kyiv risks losing still more troops in a battle that they will also likely lose in the coming weeks."
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