Russian 'meat grinder' strategy exacts heavy toll on Ukrainian forces
Ukrainian soldiers are facing relentless attacks from the Russians, who are determined to seize more positions despite the obstacles. The strategy Vladimir Putin's army uses is called "meat grinder attacks," reports the BBC.
Ukrainian soldiers describe in detail the "meat grinder attacks" employed by Russian forces. This involves sending successive waves of soldiers to Ukrainian defensive positions. These occur up to a dozen times a day. Lieutenant Colonel Anton Bayev of the Ukrainian National Guard says that Russian troops can reach the frontline positions north of Kharkiv within just a few hours.
The Russians use these units in most cases purely to see where our firing equipment is located, and to constantly exhaust our units, explains a Ukrainian soldier quoted by the BBC.
Bayev highlights that repelling these kinds of attacks presents significant challenges on many levels. "Our guys stand in positions and fight, and when four or five waves of the enemy come at you in a day, which you have to destroy without end, it is very difficult - not only physically, but also psychologically," he said.
The adoption of such a strategy by Russia is proof that Putin does not value the lives of his own soldiers. The number of casualties on the Russian side has significantly increased since they launched their offensive two months ago. According to Western officials, around 1,200 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded daily in May and June, the highest rate since the war began.
"A conveyor belt leading the Russians to death"
Captain Ivan Sekach of the 110th Ukrainian Brigade, as quoted by the BBC, uses a different analogy. In his view, the Russian strategy resembles "a conveyor belt leading the Russians to death." However, it benefits the Russian side by allowing them to make progress systematically.
Russia does not count its losses because it has a significantly larger population than Ukraine. Many participants in such attacks are former prisoners. Russia also recruits by offering one-time payments, sometimes amounting to thousands of pounds. Even wounded soldiers are used in combat; instead of receiving medical treatment, they are ordered to attack.
Ukraine could not match the Russian strategy, even if it had a similar number of soldiers, due to their approach to the lives and health of their troops. In recent weeks, a senior general was removed from his position following complaints that he employed a tactic often referred to as "Soviet," which involves sacrificing people at the frontline.
