Very intense fighting is taking place in and around the town of Avdijivka in eastern Ukraine. According to Ukrainian military authorities, the Russians have intensified their attacks in recent days. A few weeks ago, a Ukrainian soldier documented the dramatic situation in the trenches at Avdijivka. The Ukrainian and Russian soldiers stand very close to each other. The occupation forces are said to have used bombs, rockets and more than 1,000 artillery shells in the recent battles. Avdijivka is said to be almost surrounded by Russian forces. High numbers Neither the Russian nor the Ukrainian authorities say what losses they themselves have. But from the Ukrainian side, it is claimed that 931 Russian soldiers were wounded or killed every single day in November. LOSSES ON BOTH SIDES: The Ukrainians evacuate a wounded soldier from the front. Photo: AFP British military intelligence says that these numbers are probable. These are the highest numbers so far in the war. Earlier this year, the highest number should have been 776 killed and wounded every day in connection with battles near the town of Bakhmut. A Norwegian military expert tells news that the new figures probably show a tendency. TREND: Lieutenant Colonel Geir Hågen Karlsen at the Norwegian Defense Academy says that the new casualty figures seem likely. Photo: Even Bjøringsøy Johnsen / news – The British figures seem credible, says Lieutenant Colonel Geir Hågen Karlsen at the Norwegian Defense Academy. He believes that the British attach great importance to examining the information carefully before publishing it. According to Karlsen, British intelligence has been a good source throughout the war. RUINS: Violent destruction in the town of Avdijivka. Photo: ARIS MESSINIS / AFP A researcher at the Norwegian Institute of Foreign Policy also tells news that the development appears to be as the British describe. – You always have to be careful about taking such numbers completely literally, but the trend in that, that there has now been an increase in Russian losses compared to before, I think we should probably trust, says researcher Karsten Friis at NUPI. – High tolerance for losses NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this week that Russia has built up large stocks of missiles ahead of winter, and that there will be new attacks against power plants and infrastructure. The NATO chief believed that the Russians will try to leave Ukraine in the dark and cold. He pointed out that the Russian leadership has a high tolerance for losing soldiers. – We should not underestimate Russia. We have seen that President Putin has a high tolerance for loss. So far they have lost 300,000 soldiers, Stoltenberg stressed in connection with a meeting with NATO’s foreign ministers. – Using foot soldiers Researcher Karsten Friis says that the Russians are trying to surround Avdijivka in order to gain control of the town. This has been going on for many weeks. COSTLY: Researcher Karsten Friis at Nupi says that the Russians use foot soldiers in a way that leads to very large losses. Photo: Øyvind Bye Skille / news – It hasn’t gone particularly well. They have made some progress, but no breakthrough, he points out. According to the researcher, the Russians have used the same procedure as several other places. It involves them using foot soldiers or infantrymen to reveal where the Ukrainians are, where they are shooting from. This allows them to fire artillery shells at them. – It is a very expensive way to operate. And that is probably the reason for the high numbers, emphasizes Friis. Lieutenant Colonel Geir Hågen Karlsen says that the Russians are willing to take very heavy losses. – They try to take areas in a very old-fashioned way by sending in waves of soldiers, they have very little respect for human life, believes the expert. He says that this happens because the Russians are not able to carry out more advanced operations, they fall back to the simple and consuming people. The way forward Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba participated this week for the first time in a meeting in Brussels with colleagues in NATO. He was unenthusiastic about being asked questions by journalists about war fatigue in Western countries. Ukrainian authorities continue to aim to liberate all territory taken by the Russians. COULD BE PROLONGED: A minibus has been hit by a Russian drone, according to the Ukrainian defense. Photo: AP – The most likely scenario in my opinion is a long-term war of attrition, and it has actually lasted since 2014, says Karlsen. He does not believe that President Putin will negotiate for peace as long as he is in power. Friis believes that the war will enter a calmer phase now that winter is coming with cold and darkness. He believes that the Ukrainians will face more challenges because the Western supplies of weapons and ammunition seem to be decreasing. But one important result of the war will remain, Friis emphasizes. – Ukraine belongs to the Western community in the future. It is no longer a country out there, it has become part of European politics, emphasizes the NUPI researcher.
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Norwegian experts believe Russia has greater losses than ever – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
