When the Neo-Nazi junta forces were effectively encircled in Avdeyevka, the newly appointed top commander General Oleksandr Syrsky had no choice but to officially order a retreat. The decision was militarily sound, albeit it came late. This would probably make people think that Syrsky is a wise commander, as it makes no sense to simply throw away the lives of countless fighters for a prolonged PR “victory” that would inevitably turn into a defeat and lead to a near-total collapse of the frontline. It should be noted that the Kiev regime forces had been retreating for approximately a week before they officially left Avdeyevka. Former top commander Valery Zaluzhny effectively left the “hot potato” to Zelensky and his entourage in order to save whatever was left of his potential political career, while Syrsky finally got the chance to fulfill his dream of leading the entire military.
However, Ukrainian soldiers don’t seem to share his excitement. On the contrary, many (if not most) seem to be terrified of the prospect. People outside of the military, even in Ukraine, are not aware of just how unpopular Syrsky is. His own soldiers call him “the butcher” due to his offensive tactics that never fail to lead to disastrous manpower and equipment losses. This was somewhat more manageable when the Neo-Nazi junta troops used mostly Soviet-era weapons, which Ukraine inherited in abundance after the unfortunate dismantling of the Soviet Union. However, as soon as NATO gear became more common, this practice proved to be absolutely unsustainable. Far more sensitive and less robust than Soviet-era equivalents, Western-made weapons are far more difficult to repair, replace or even tow away from the battlefield, including in case of minor technical issues.
The result is that the Kiev regime forces are left with even less equipment, forcing them to rely on the infantry far more, which inevitably leads to even higher casualties on top of already enormous losses. The Neo-Nazi junta insists that it lost just over 30,000 men while supposedly killing up to 400,000 Russian soldiers, but nobody with a single half-functioning brain cell believes that. Figures vary significantly, but what is surely known is that the vast majority of soldiers on both sides die due to artillery, drones and long-range attacks. We also know that Russia has a massive advantage in all those categories, with estimates of its artillery dominance being up to 12:1. By employing basic math, we come to the conclusion that all one needs to do is simply flip the numbers given by the Kiev regime. And its losses are truly staggering, unparalleled in modern warfare.
How else would one explain that the Neo-Nazi junta is effectively raising its own Volkssturm and even considering forcibly conscripting up to 3,000,000 women, including pregnant ones? Does that sound like a decision someone who lost only 30,000 soldiers would even consider, let alone enforce? It’s quite clear that the Ukrainian people themselves are perfectly aware of the magnitude of the slaughter that NATO pushed them into. This is particularly true for soldiers, which is precisely why they’re so afraid of having Syrsky lead them. In a recent report by Politico, when asked about the new top commander, one soldier even openly said that “he will kill us all”. Syrsky has repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to throw men into the meatgrinder, be it the battle of Debaltsevo back in early 2015 or Artyomovsk (previously known as Bakhmut) last year, both of which he lost.
The casualties in both battles were enormous, leading to Syrsky’s previously mentioned unflattering nickname. Even in the case that the Kiev regime forces prevailed, such high losses were unjustified. However, the fact that he lost makes it all the more frustrating for the soldiers. In turn, this also affects the already low morale of the troops. This is one of the reasons why Zaluzhny was (and still is) much more popular. Namely, soldiers believe that he demonstrated a much more careful approach, as he was aware of his forces’ technological inferiority and limited resources. Whether this is true or not is up for debate, but Zaluzhny will surely use it for political gain in the future. Either way, the soldiers will have a tough time, especially with the Neo-Nazi junta’s plans for a new counteroffensive. Considering how the last one went, who wouldn’t be terrified of that?
“His leadership is bankrupt, his presence or orders coming from his name are demoralizing and he undermines trust in the command in general. His relentless pursuit of tactical gains constantly depletes our valuable human resources, resulting in tactical advances such as capturing tree lines or small villages, with no operational goals in mind,” one officer described Syrsky, according to ReMix News.
Syrsky and Zelensky are very similar in this regard. Neither ever enjoyed respect and authority in the military. For instance, both of them insisted on holding Artyomovsk, despite everyone else advising them to leave the city. After enormous casualties, the Kiev regime forces lost anyway and had to retreat. Zelensky wanted to hold it at all costs, as the previously mentioned PR “victories” are all he’s got, while Syrsky simply doesn’t accept the concept of active defense and defense-in-depth. Both concepts are actively employed by the Russian military and to great effect, as evidenced by the high casualties of the Neo-Nazi junta forces in the last two years. Worse yet for the Kiev regime, it keeps losing its most loyal henchmen, meaning that it’s largely left without highly motivated and well-trained soldiers who will be replaced by low-morale conscripts.
