The Russian military has been facing heavy losses in Ukraine during May, with an average of 1,000 soldiers being wounded or killed every day, according to intelligence reports from the US, UK and other Western countries. Despite these casualties, Russia has been recruiting around 25,000 to 30,000 new troops each month to replace those who leave the battlefield. This strategy allows Russia to continue sending waves of troops into Ukrainian defenses in an attempt to overwhelm them and break through trench lines.
Russian soldiers have described this warfare style as a “meat mincer” due to the indifference of commanding officers towards their safety. While this approach has led to victories for Russia in Avdiivka and Bakhmut, it was less successful near Kharkiv this spring. Russia aimed to create a buffer zone along the border but was stopped by Ukrainian defenses.
According to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, at least 350,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded since the full-scale invasion in February 2022. However, British sources estimate that this number is over 500,000. The use of drones, mines and cluster munitions has made movement across open terrain extremely dangerous for both sides contributing significantly to the high casualties.
Despite these challenges, Ukraine is beginning to receive weapons and ammunition from a new $60 billion US aid package which has helped bolster their defenses. With Ukraine focusing on holding their lines and building fortifications they have managed to slow the Russian advance and stabilize their frontline. The recent policy change allowing Ukraine to use US missiles against Russian forces near the border has also had a positive impact on their defense capabilities.
Looking ahead into the future US and Western officials anticipate that fighting will shift east and south again as Russia continues to expend forces in order to make incremental gains