War in Ukraine: New investigation reveals the underside of the Russian army's fearsome 'meat grinder' strategy

A new investigation reveals the underside of a formidable Russian strategy. "Meat grinder" is the name of the incessant waves of soldiers sent by the Kremlin to exhaust Ukraine.

Wear. The Russian strategy of "meat grinder" aims to exhaust Ukrainian forces and reveal their positions, reveal BBC and Mediazona in an investigation on the losses of the conflict.

Peak Russian losses

Noting the increase in the number of Russian victims of the invasion, the media wondered about a possible change in strategy behind the increase. It seems that this is indeed the case. Our colleagues across the Channel deplore the "considerable human cost of the change in tactics".

The first peak of casualties was in January 2023. At the time, the Russians were trying to take the town of Vuhledar, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine. According to the Institute for the Study of War, they then resorted to ineffective frontal assaults of the human wave type. ;quot;.

"Difficult terrain, lack of combat power, and inability to surprise Ukrainian forces" , explains the disastrous outcome for the Russians.

Shared wear

A few months later, in the spring, a similar peak in Russian losses was observed. It was during the terrible battle of Bakhmout. The Wagner paramilitary group, still strong and led by the iron fist of Prigozhin, who had since died, had helped Russia.

At the time, among the mercenaries of the one we nicknamed "Putin's cook", 22 000 deaths had been deplored. If the goal is to exhaust the Ukrainians, there is no doubt that the sacrifice is heavy for Russia.

Same increase in autumn 2023. Aerial images of cemeteries bear witness to the increase in Russian losses, even as it increases its attacks on the front. According to our colleagues, two out of five dead Russian fighters had nothing to do with the army before the invasion.

The strategy of the "meat grinder" is reminiscent of another Russian tactic. Storm Z units, made up of prisoner soldiers, are regularly deployed on the front.

According to some observers, they are sent there like "cannon fodder".& nbsp;Half of the prisoners sent to the front die within two months of their enlistment.