The NYT: Russia’s “meat grinder” tactic leads to high casualties among its troops and lack of significant gains in Kharkiv

In May 2024, Russian forces lost more than 1,000 of its soldiers injured or killed each day, according to The New York Times. On 10 May, Moscow troops launched their offensive on Kharkiv Oblast, seizing villages, including Vovchansk and Lyptsi, and executing civilians. Russia has used the meat grinder tactic to breach through Ukrainian defense lines, experts say. This approach has proved effective in Avdiivka and Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, but it appeared to be less successful in the Kharkiv region as the Russians could achieve only small gains while paying a very high price. British military intelligence analysts said Russia’s casualties in May were nearly 1,200 a day, the highest of the war. Russian soldiers have also confirmed on social media that their units are suffering high casualties in drone attacks and artillery shelling. Despite Moscow's advantage of using more soldiers in its war against Ukraine, the casualties have forced Russia to ship more troops to Ukraine relatively quickly, which means that the soldiers sent to the front are poorly trained. The lack of training and the immediate deployment of new recruits to combat have hindered Russia's ability to form more capable units and led to higher casualties.

Read more:

• British Intelligence: Russia likely achieved limited break-in of Chasiv Yar’s suburb in Donetsk Oblast
• Ukraine denies Russian capture of Ivanivske near Donetsk Oblast’s Bakhmut
• Military: Russians gain ground but fail to breach Chasiv Yar’s principal defense
• Frontline report: Russian forces suffer disastrous defeat in Chasiv Yar canal crossing offensive