'Meat Grinder': Russian Army Confidence in Putin Plummets as He Sends Troops Into Battle Without Sufficient Weapons

According to a prominent historian and Russian expert, Vladimir Putin's credibility with Russian soldiers has plummeted due to the deployment of troops without sufficient weaponry.

Despite the Russian President's efforts to avoid further mobilization for the war, his assurances fail to resonate with the soldiers. This lack of trust is rooted in the 2022 mobilization, which saw a shortage of weapons for the enlisted men.

Professor Sergey Radchenko highlighted the significant challenges associated with mobilization, emphasizing its complex political implications, Express reported.

While Putin initiated mobilization in 2022, it resulted in a mass exodus of individuals fleeing Russia. Moreover, the country's attempts to incentivize soldiers with monetary rewards and amnesty for prisoners have been hindered by the lack of both experienced personnel and adequate weaponry.

Russia's reliance on contract soldiers, both domestic and foreign, persists. However, Putin's assurances regarding the non-utilization of mobilized soldiers in conflicts are met with skepticism.

These concerns are underscored by BBC research indicating that over 50,000 Russian soldiers have perished in Ukraine since the invasion's onset in 2022. The death toll in 2023 alone was 25% higher than that of the previous year.

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The Institute for the Study of War has criticized Russia's military tactics, citing ineffective frontal assaults reminiscent of human-wave tactics. They identified challenging terrain, insufficient combat capabilities and the failure to surprise Ukrainian forces as critical shortcomings.

Described as a "meat grinder" strategy, Russia's relentless assaults aim to deplete Ukrainian forces by continuously funneling men into battle.