Russia lost 3,000 men for every square mile they gained around the key city of Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine, it has been reported.
Avdiivka has been at the epicenter of the fighting in Ukraine for months, with Moscow piling much of its resources and manpower into trying to take the city.
This also means that Russian forces have seen as many deaths in two months along a single mile-long stretch of eastern Ukraine as died in all of Ukraine in the first couple of months of Russia’s wider war on the country.
Military expert David Axe described the losses as “Staggering and escalating” in an article for Forbes.
Russia has lost 13,000 men while fighting in Avdiivka in the last two months, according to the Joe Biden administration in Washington. These men were either killed or wounded.
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It is believed that Moscow’s forces have endured losses of over 300,000 near Avdiivka in total.
This comes as a Russian soldier was purportedly filmed as he admitted that his group of 70 soldiers now just has 14 people remaining alive.
Mr Axe added: “What’s especially shocking about Russia’s losses is what it has gained in exchange. While Russian minefields managed to limit the pace of Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive and hold Ukrainian brigades to advances of just 10 miles or so along two main axes, Russian units have not managed to make major advances of their own in seven months.
“Indeed, the Avdiivka meatgrinder is the Kremlin’s most successful campaign since its forces captured the ruins of Bakhmut in May. But Russian regiments have advanced just a mile or so north and south of Avdiivka for a total gain of four square miles. They have not captured Avdiivka itself.”
This works out to more than 3,000 Russians killed or wounded for each square mile they have gained.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Washington on Tuesday to meet with President Biden.
Mr Zelensky once again pleaded with US lawmakers to keep supporting Ukraine amid an effort from Republicans to halt funding for Kyiv to pressure Mr Biden into taking action against migration coming in from Mexico.
During their meeting, Mr Biden said “Putin has failed” while pledging further support for Ukraine.
He said: “I will not walk away from Ukraine.
“Ukraine will emerge from this war, proud, free and firmly rooted in the West, unless we walk away.”
