“Human Marine Support” showed the Russian military its power but at a heavy cost

US officials said that the Russian military in September of this yearThe Russian-Ukrainian WarIn the bloodiest month of the war, the attack on Wudong paid a high price, causing the number of casualties of the Russian army since the beginning of the war to exceed 600,000.

The New York Times described this as a “meat war,” in which both sides try to inflict maximum damage on the enemy in order to eliminate the other’s power and will. to do US officials said that in recent months, Russian troops have made steady and gradual advances in Ukraine’s Donbas region.

“That’s how Russia goes to war, they throw massive numbers of troops at the problem,” a senior U.S. military official said this week on condition of anonymity to discuss internal assessments. I think we are going to see high casualties on the Ukrainian side.”

According to the latest Pentagon estimates, the number of Russian military casualties in this war reached 615,000, with 115,000 killed and 500,000 wounded.UkraineCasualty data is kept very secret and is not even released to the United States. But one US official estimated the casualties in Ukraine to be slightly higher thanRussiaHalf, or 57,500 people, were killed and 250,000 wounded.

The official did not specify the number of Russian casualties in September, but called it the deadliest month. US and British military analysts estimate that Russia’s average daily casualties are more than 1,200, slightly higher than the highest daily casualty rate recorded in May.

Despite heavy losses, according to US officials, Russia is still recruiting about 25,000 to 30,000 new soldiers per month. This number is almost the same as the number of soldiers leaving the battlefield. defensive lines in an attempt to overcome and break through trench defenses.

US officials pointed out that Russian President Vladimir Putin was trying to avoid mass mobilization and encourage domestic backlash, so Russia offered generous bonuses and increased pay to volunteer soldiers. “We’ll see how long he can stick to this strategy,” said a senior Pentagon official.

The Russian offensive in September included an attempt to advance the front line in the Udontsk region while defending against the Ukrainian army’s attack on the Kusk region in southern Russia. Pentagon officials said that during this period, the Russian military launched an intensive offensive and deployed small infantry units in a relatively small area, providing “rich targets” for the U.S. military. Ukraine.

This human wave technique also shows the advantages of Russia. Its population of 146 million is three times that of Ukraine, which means that it has a greater capacity of soldiers. However, US officials say the high number of casualties has prompted Russia to rush new troops to Ukraine, meaning those sent to the front lines are often bad training.