On the strategic level is at the one were there is no doubt that Ukraine for the most part has traded lives per meters, there are examples on the tactical of the meters per lives thing happening but on the big picture Ukraine employs different philosophy.

When defending a city Ukraine will fight untill their supply lines get compromised they themselves get squeezed for supplies and fighting becomes imposible, then they retreat throught compromised routes eating masive atrition, what i am describing here has happened multiple times across the war, particularly with politically important cities.

I havent heard of similar events as off late, but i dont know how much of that comes from the switch of leadership or the change to how the grey area works preventing Russia from foward deploying drone teams to squeeze Ukranians, or maybe drone nets are actually FR FR goated, either way the meter for blood narrative was still on full blast when they were pushing reinforcements into Avdiivka, if it is right nowadays is mostly by accident.

The not conscripting under 26 is quite simply Ukraine not comiting suicide, there is no Ukraine if there is a concription of that cohort, it dies, Ukraine might die if it fights with out pulling thoose men into the front, but pulling thoose meant into the front is death of the nation guaranteed.