A Russian soldier, Anton Andreev, reported that Ukrainian troops almost wiped out his entire unit amid heavy fighting in Kharkiv. Assigned to the fifth company of Moscow’s 1009th regiment, he revealed that half his unit had been eliminated on the first night of fighting in Vovchansk. Only 12 of his 100-strong unit were left to fight as invading forces attempted to advance and gain more territory. He attributed the huge Russian loss to Kyiv’s powerful artillery and drone strikes.
Fighting has intensified in Kharkiv since last month when an estimated 30,000 Russian troops caught the Ukrainians off guard and quickly seized 99 square miles of territory. Andreev lamented about being sent there to die “like meat” and claimed that their commanders always insisted on advancing even if they were already taking huge casualties. If confirmed, his statement would lend weight to claims that the Russian military has been making costly mistakes on the battlefield that result in heavy losses.
Earlier this year, a Ukrainian artillery commander said the invading forces continued to carry out large-scale “meat assaults,” in which a large number of soldiers swarm an enemy area with almost no cover.
