Russia's 'Meat Grinder' Tactics In Ukraine War Perspective

Despite being outmatched in organization and tactics, the Russian military successfully undertook a war of attrition against Napoleon's invasion in 1812. A century later, the Russian empire generated enormous casualties but successfully launched large-scale counterattacks during the First World War.

The“meat grinder” became embedded in Soviet military tactics. The phrase“quantity has a quality of its own” has apocryphal roots in Stalin's leadership during the Second World War.

Key battles such as Stalingrad and Kursk involved the deployment of millions of soldiers, and the Soviet army eventually crushed the Nazi blitzkrieg through the sheer weight of numbers on the eastern front.

Past victories do not guarantee future success. But – for the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and his military planners – it seems the dead and disabled bodies of their own soldiers are necessary collateral damage.

It is estimated that more than 70,000 Russian troops have died since 2022. But it has been reported that Russian casualty rates are now rising more rapidly due to its military's increased reliance on inexperienced fighters.

Civilian recruits now make up the greatest proportion of deaths since the invasion began. This increase is partially their lack of military knowledge in a challenging fighting environment against a highly motivated enemy.

However, inadequate medical care and poor-quality protective kit are also important factors. The Russian state media shares carefully curated images and stories of the deceased but morale is still crashing, and military wives and mothers are rebelling.

Putin's meat grinder continues to expand, however. The Russian government announced plans to spend £133.8 billion (US$174 billion) on national security and defense in 2025, equivalent to 41% of annual government expenditure. All healthy men aged 18 to 30 can now be conscripted , and Russia has recently ordered a third increase in Russian troops.

The recruitment of a further 180,000 soldiers will make Russia's army the second largest in the world, with nearly 2.4 million members. Yet this army is unqualified and offers little protection for the individual soldier.

Ukraine does not view its soldiers' lives as disposable in the same way – and they are comparatively well-trained and resourced. But the dynamic in Ukraine may be changing.

The country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, signed new conscription laws in April 2024 that lowered the age of conscription to 25, and it has reached the point where eligible men are now being dragged away from restaurants and nightclubs by army recruiters .

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Russia's meat-grinder tactics are not infallible and will eventually collapse. Large formations can quickly become large targets in an age of remote reconnaissance.

While Russia can coerce military participation through the carrot of high wages and the stick of forced conscription, a large and unmotivated army is not well-equipped for modern warfare and will eventually produce diminishing returns.

Even a declaration of martial law in the whole of Russia – Putin introduced martial law in the occupied part of Ukraine in September 2022 – would not overcome the deeply embedded structural issues Russia faces.

Poor care of soldiers and veterans will generate long-term challenges in the form of disability and treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.

The social and cultural harms of a poor culture of care are already manifesting in Russia. Approximately 190 serious crimes have been committed by veterans upon returning home. With Putin showing no interest in peace, we can only hope that the Russian war machine burns itself out – and that the long-term consequences are not terminal.

Becky Alexis-Martin , Peace Studies and International Development, University of Bradford

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .

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