The Russian military continues to carry out large-scale infantry “meat assaults” despite the tactic incurring massive casualties. A meat assault refers to an attack when a large number of Russian military personnel swarm an enemy area with almost no cover. In Ukraine, it is being employed in the city of Avdiivka to suppress and overwhelm defenders. However, the tactic reportedly caused Russia to lose up to 70 soldiers because Ukrainian kamikaze drones can easily see them from above. CNN shared footage of an alleged assault in Avdiivka, showing how a Ukrainian strike took out exposed Russian soldiers in a field. “They assault with a large number of personnel,” an unnamed Ukrainian artillery commander told the outlet. “Assault after assault, non-stop. If we kill 40 to 70 of them with drones in a day, the next day they renew their forces and continue to attack.”
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow’s forces have engaged in high-risk frontal assaults to overwhelm Ukrainian positions. These human-wave attacks are often carried out by reservists, former prisoners, and poorly-trained civilians sent to fortify the Russian frontline, according to Armed Forces of Ukraine secretary Nataliya Humenyuk. Meanwhile, elite marines and paratroopers of the Russian military reportedly refuse to take part in these assaults due to the high risk involved. Despite being capable of these assaults, Ukraine admitted that Moscow’s forces can afford to continuously launch such attacks because they have more weapons and personnel.