On Sunday, Ukraine announced their withdrawal from the strategic city of Lysychansk. This has allowed Russian forces to regroup before pushing further south
Russia’s strategy of heavy shelling followed by small troop advances of troops has caused the Ukrainian army to flee. Russia has successfully deployed this same approach to seize other surrounding cities, destroying much in the process.
“The continuation of the defense of the city would lead to fatal consequences,” it said in a statement on Facebook. “In order to preserve the lives of Ukrainian defenders, a decision was made to withdraw.”
Lysychansk was the last city in Luhansk Province held by Ukraine. This capture of the not only gives Russia full control of the region but also offers a base to regroup Russian forces to prepare for offensives on cities to the southwest.
President Volodymyr Zelensky noted the development, saying that “people must be saved above all else.”
Russia’s decision to mass its firepower, particularly their long-range artillery pieces, against specific targets is a response to its failure to capture the capital, Kyiv, earlier in the war. Military analysts say that initially Russia spread its forces too thin to be effective.
Both sides have lost thousands of soldiers, vehicles, and artillery pieces. Despite Western military aid, Ukraine is still outmatched. Russian forces are exhausted, but show no signs of letting up.
The war’s current phase sees fighting along a front line of more than 600 miles but is most intense in the Donbas region, which contains the two provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk. Back in 2014, pro-Russian separatists seized large parts of the Donbas, an area where its location gives Russia an added advantage.
Russia’s strategy of heavy shelling followed by small troop advances of troops has caused the Ukrainian army to flee. Russia has successfully deployed this same approach to seize other surrounding cities, destroying much in the process.
“The continuation of the defense of the city would lead to fatal consequences,” it said in a statement on Facebook. “In order to preserve the lives of Ukrainian defenders, a decision was made to withdraw.”
Lysychansk was the last city in Luhansk Province held by Ukraine. This capture of the not only gives Russia full control of the region but also offers a base to regroup Russian forces to prepare for offensives on cities to the southwest.
President Volodymyr Zelensky noted the development, saying that “people must be saved above all else.”
Russia’s decision to mass its firepower, particularly their long-range artillery pieces, against specific targets is a response to its failure to capture the capital, Kyiv, earlier in the war. Military analysts say that initially Russia spread its forces too thin to be effective.
Both sides have lost thousands of soldiers, vehicles, and artillery pieces. Despite Western military aid, Ukraine is still outmatched. Russian forces are exhausted, but show no signs of letting up.
The war’s current phase sees fighting along a front line of more than 600 miles but is most intense in the Donbas region, which contains the two provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk. Back in 2014, pro-Russian separatists seized large parts of the Donbas, an area where its location gives Russia an added advantage.
