Kursk Region Military Strategies: Insights from Commander
A Ukrainian commander has recently revealed that the Russian military has adopted new strategies in the ongoing conflict in the Kursk region. This insight comes over five months after Ukrainian forces initiated their incursion into the area. Yehor Nozdryakov, who commands the Air Assault Battalion of the 80th Halychyna Brigade, noted that Moscow is now deploying large numbers of troops to launch coordinated assaults against Ukrainian positions. He emphasized that this tactic has proven effective largely due to the significant numerical advantage held by Russian forces.
Nozdryakov described the Russian approach as reminiscent of World War II, stating, “They come in waves, much like in World War II, with groups of 20-30 soldiers.” He pointed out that in certain regions, this method effectively compels Ukrainian artillery and FPV drone strikes to engage, highlighting the challenges faced by his troops. Furthermore, he indicated that the Russian military has escalated its attempts to seize control of Ukrainian brigade positions, with the goal of pushing Ukrainian forces out of Russian territory by the end of January.
Historical Context of ‘Meat Assaults’
The deployment of mass infantry in ground assaults is not a novel strategy for the Russian military. In January 2024, a Ukrainian artillery commander provided insights to CNN regarding the large-scale attacks executed by Moscow’s forces. These assaults involved waves of troops advancing with minimal cover, leading to significant casualties among the attackers. The Ukrainian military coined the term “meat assaults” to describe these offensives, which resulted in substantial Russian losses, reportedly as high as 70 soldiers per attack.
Fast forward to June 2024, a Russian soldier candidly admitted that his unit had suffered devastating losses at the hands of Ukrainian forces during fierce combat in Kharkiv. He lamented, “They just chop us up! We are sent under machine guns, under drones in daylight, like meat. And commanders just shout ‘forward and forward.’” This stark testimony underscores the grim reality of the battlefield and the high stakes of the ongoing conflict.
