Ukraine’s new head of the armed forces, Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, announced the withdrawal of Ukrainian units from the eastern city of Avdiivka following four months of attacks from Russia. The strategic location has seen heavy fighting, with overwhelming Russian forces leaving Ukrainian troops outnumbered and outgunned. While the loss of Avdiivka is a significant setback in the ongoing conflict, Gen Syrskyi has claimed his strategy prioritizes the preservation of life over territorial control.
Avdiivka’s fall marks Moscow’s biggest victory since Ukraine’s failed counteroffensive last year. Despite considerable losses, Russia has been able to exploit its larger population and military force to replenish its ranks in the conflict more effectively than Ukraine. Gen Syrskyi’s controversial defensive tactics, which prioritize minimizing casualties, have come under scrutiny after Avdiivka and another Ukrainian city, Bakhmut, fell into Russian hands.
The shifting tides of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict are reportedly being influenced by global politics and resource availability. A refusal by U.S. taxpayers to continue funding a losing war, specifically a $95bn aid package for Ukraine that remains unsigned in the U.S., is said to have contributed to the retreat plans. The state of the conflict and the apparent eastern creep of Russian control continue to raise questions about Ukraine’s ability to effectively resist Russia’s campaign of aggression.
