Which is why since Sun Tzu it has been advisable not to go into cities. Cities have always been vulnerable to hunger and thirst, and now can be levelled with artillery, rockets, and air from a distance. Storming a city or fortress has been a choice and usually not the first choice since ancient times.

The Russians aren’t going into the cities. They probe and when they meet resistance fire off some artillery but are mostly maneuvering around and using siege and starve the cities [plus bombardment] and it worked in Syria, they are doing it now in Ukraine.

Had we taken this approach in Iraq instead of trying to make them into Swedes we would have had a much shorter war and markedly more success. When we did it against ISIS at the end – Mosul for example – it worked fine.

The Russians are in no hurry and are proceeding methodically with an eye towards minimal destruction, the destruction they most seek to minimize is their own soldiers of course, so firepower will be used not even to lay waste but to coerce surrender.

It does remain absolutely true that if infantry or tanks go into a city the casualties are much higher.

Sun Tzu…so nothing new here except some new tools.

The relevant parts of Sun tzu’s known writings are
“If troops lay siege to a walled city, their strength will be exhausted.”

“Therefore, the best warfare strategy is to attack the enemy’s plans, next is to attack alliances, next is to attack the army, and the worst is to attack a walled city.”

“Laying siege to a city is only done when other options are not available.”

“If the general cannot control his temper and sends troops to swarm the walls, one third of them will be killed, and the city will still not be taken.”

“This is the kind of calamity when laying siege to a walled city.”

“Therefore, one who is skilled in warfare principles subdues the enemy without doing battle, takes the enemy’s walled city without attacking, and overthrows the enemy quickly, without protracted warfare.”

“Generally, the principles of warfare are:
…
there are walled cities not to be besieged; “

Russia in the Ukraine seems to have generally eschewed NATO tactics, presumably to minimize casualties among civilians with whom Russia has no argument.

If Russia’s aim is to “de-nazify” the Ukraine rather than to occupy it, which is what Russia has repeatedly said, then seizing control of entire cities would seem to be an unnecessary tactic.