He was accused of pursuing a symbolic victory at the …

He was accused of pursuing a symbolic victory at the …

Following his declaration that he would “rather retreat than sacrifice lives” upon his appointment this month, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the new commander of Ukraine’s armed forces, has now successfully retreated from this eastern city.

Four months of nonstop attacks have left Ukrainian troops there outnumbered, outgunned, and running low on ammunition, even though the Russians have suffered massive losses.

Moscow has not won this much since the counteroffensive that failed in Ukraine last year.

In 2014, Russia briefly controlled Avdiivka before Ukraine retook it.

What does Avdiivka’s downfall signify for the larger struggle, then?

The disparity in size between Russia and Ukraine is becoming more noticeable now that this is turning into an attrition war. With 144 million people, Russia has a population that is more than three times that of Ukraine.

In the process, Moscow has lost thousands of men, but it has made its size count by resupplying them almost instantly.

Though not as much, Ukrainian soldiers have also lost ground.

Russia has taken control of an almost completely destroyed city, just like it has other front-line Ukrainian communities.

The 3rd Assault Brigade of Ukraine, which had been stationed there, reported that infantry was attacking them from all sides.

The area has been the focus of Russia’s most skilled combatants, who are reportedly dropping up to 60 bombs each day on Ukrainian positions.

When the Russians last captured Bakhmut, a Ukrainian city, Gen. Syrskyi faced criticism for holding onto the city for an extended period of time. He was charged with seeking an emblematic triumph at the cost of unnecessary deaths.

It appears that experience has altered that.