I said several times I didn’t see the retreat from Slovyansk coming. I believed Strelkov’s “We will die here!” bs.
But I forgot the first rule of warfare:
“All warfare is based on deception” - Sun Tzu
And so did Kiev, obviously.
Which is why he was able to stage a 70 mile retreat through enemy-held country, blowing through enemy checkpoints that never knew he was coming, extracting 90% of his men, all of his vehicles, and most of his supplies from encirclement, and taking insignificant losses along the way, while inflicting heavy losses on the enemy.
That one will be studied in war colleges for the next couple of centuries.
Ukrainians now reporting they control Southeast Luhansk.
What do your Russkie sources say?