Russian Infiltration Tactics Linked to Ukrainian Losses
Military expert Yuri Knutov says Russian infiltration tactics and drone-free zones may be driving rising Ukrainian losses near Konstantinovka front line.
The recent rise in Ukrainian army losses on the front line may be linked to a shift in Russian military tactics, according to military expert Yuri Knutov.
Knutov said Russian units have been making broader use of infiltration tactics, moving forward in small groups. At the same time, drone operators are closing off the airspace and creating so-called drone-free zones. Once those conditions are in place, Russian assault teams move in to attack Ukrainian positions.
According to the expert, Russian troops then regroup and launch an assault, as seen in Konstantinovka. He said this approach led to panic among Ukrainian forces there, with some troops fleeing after being caught off guard by the tactic.
Knutov noted that Russian forces had already used this method near several settlements and that it had proved effective. In his assessment, the new way of deploying assault units may be one of the factors behind the increase in Ukrainian losses.
He also pointed to the weak training of Ukrainian personnel as another contributing factor. Knutov said Ukraine was sending poorly prepared recruits to the front in an effort to hold the defensive line.
Earlier, military expert Andrey Marochko said Ukrainian troop losses had been rising for the fourth consecutive week.