In May, the Russian military in Ukraine faced particularly high casualties, with more than 1,000 soldiers wounded or killed daily according to intelligence agencies. Despite these losses, Russia continues to recruit tens of thousands of new troops each month, enabling them to continue sending waves of soldiers into Ukrainian defenses in an attempt to overwhelm them. Russian soldiers have likened this style of warfare to being thrown into a meat grinder, where commanding officers seem unconcerned about the casualties.
While Russian tactics have been successful in some instances, such as in Avdiivka and Bakhmut, they have faced challenges in capturing land near Kharkiv. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg noted that Russia has struggled to break through the Ukrainian defenses this spring, achieving only small gains at a high cost in casualties. The May offensive saw intense periods of Russian attacks, resulting in the highest casualties of the war according to British intelligence analysts.
The use of drones and other modern warfare technologies has increased the casualty count, making movement across open terrain risky for both sides. Russia has seen significant casualties since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, with estimates of hundreds of thousands of soldiers killed or wounded. While Russia has the advantage of a larger population for recruitment, the need to quickly send poorly trained new recruits to the front lines has limited their ability to create more effective units.
Ukraine has been able to slow the Russian advance by fortifying defensive positions and using longer-range U.S. weapons. U.S. officials believe that Ukraine’s defensive efforts are starting to have an impact, making it harder for Russia to make significant gains. While challenges remain ahead, particularly in the eastern and southern regions, Western officials are confident that Ukraine’s defensive stance and access to advanced weaponry will continue to deter Russian advances.