Russia’s ‘meat grinder’ tactics in Ukraine have proved effective in past wars – but at terrible cost

Reviews have emerged in latest months of notably savage casualties amongst Russian troops combating within the Donbas area of jap Ukraine, because the Russian navy bids to seize as a lot territory as it could actually, presumably with one eye on a possible ceasefire deal. A lot will rely on the end result of the US election. Donald Trump has mentioned he’ll finish navy support to Ukraine if elected, bringing the battle to an finish in “sooner or later”.

This might imply that Kyiv can be compelled to cede Ukrainian territory alongside present strains of occupation. Analysts have commented that this was one of many motivations for Ukraine’s Kursk offensive inside Russia in August, since territory captured by Ukraine can be a useful bargaining chip in negotiations.

However in the meantime Russia’s offensive in jap Ukraine has been notably bloody, with US intelligence studies of casualty numbers of as much as 1,000 per day, lifeless and wounded. This calls to thoughts the “meat grinder” techniques of earlier Russian and Soviet navy campaigns.

The “meat grinder” is a collective battlefield method that values excessive troop density and depth to overwhelm the enemy. It’s a uniquely Russian method 9 a long time within the making, consisting of a mix two a lot older methods, particularly attrition and mass mobilisation.

On the coronary heart of attrition is the notion of abundance. The opponent is bodily and psychologically exhausted by the sheer drive of numbers, as wave after wave of cannon fodder are relentlessly deployed. Mass mobilisation is the large-scale motion of troops to a selected location with the intention of overpowering the adversary. Neither method recognises the intrinsic worth of particular person lives.

Regardless of being outmatched in organisation and techniques, the Russian navy efficiently undertook a battle of attrition towards Napoleon’s invasion in 1812. A century later, the Russian empire generated huge casualties however efficiently launch large-scale counterattacks in the course of the first world battle.

The “meat grinder” grew to become embedded in Soviet navy techniques. The phrase “amount has a high quality of its personal” has apocryphal roots in Stalin’s management in the course of the second world battle. Key battles equivalent to Stalingrad and Kursk concerned the deployment of tens of millions of troopers, and the Soviet military finally crushed the Nazi blitzkrieg by means of sheer weight of numbers on the jap entrance.

Previous victories don’t assure future success. However – for the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and his navy planners – it appears the lifeless and disabled our bodies of their very own troopers are essential collateral harm. It’s estimated that greater than 70,000 Russian troops have died since 2022. But it surely has been reported that Russian casualty charges are actually rising extra quickly as a result of its navy’s elevated reliance on inexperienced fighters.

Civilian recruits now make up the best proportion of deaths for the reason that invasion started. This improve is partially their lack of navy data in a difficult combating atmosphere towards a extremely motivated enemy. However insufficient medical care and poor high quality protecting package are additionally vital components. The Russian state media shares rigorously curated photos and tales of the deceased however morale remains to be crashing, and navy wives and moms are rebelling.

Final sacrifice

Putin’s meat grinder continues to increase, nonetheless. The Russian authorities introduced plans to spend £133.8 billion on nationwide safety and defence in 2025, equal to 41% of annual authorities expenditure. All wholesome males aged 18 to 30 can now be conscripted, and Russia has lately ordered a 3rd improve in Russian troops. The recruitment of an additional 180,000 troopers will make Russia’s military the second largest on the planet, with practically 2.4 million members. But this military is unqualified and affords little safety for the person soldier.

Ukraine doesn’t view its troopers’ lives as disposable in the identical manner – and they’re comparatively effectively skilled and resourced. However the dynamic in Ukraine could also be altering. The nation’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, signed new conscription legal guidelines in April 2024 that lowered the age of conscription to 25, and it has reached the purpose the place eligible males are actually being dragged away from eating places and nightclubs by military recruiters.

Russia’s meat-grinder techniques are usually not infallible and can finally collapse. Giant formations can rapidly change into massive targets in an age of distant reconnaissance. Whereas Russia can coerce navy participation by means of the carrot of excessive wages and the stick of compelled conscription, a big and unmotivated military isn’t well-equipped for contemporary warfare and can finally produce diminishing returns.

Even declaration of martial legislation in the entire of Russia – Putin launched martial legislation in occupied a part of Ukraine in September 2022 – wouldn’t overcome the deeply embedded structural points Russia faces. Poor care of troopers and veterans will generate long-term challenges within the type of incapacity and remedy for post-traumatic stress dysfunction.

The social and cultural harms of a poor tradition of care are already manifesting in Russia. Roughly 190 severe crimes have been dedicated by veterans upon returning dwelling. With Putin exhibiting little interest in peace, we will solely hope that the Russian battle machine burns itself out – and that the long-term penalties are usually not terminal.