- Russian forces are carrying out "meat assaults" in Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine.
- The tactic involves sending large numbers of troops to attack on foot.
Russian forces are repeatedly carrying out large-scale infantry "meat assaults" on the city of Avdiivka, a Ukrainian commander said, CNN reported.
In the attacks, Russian troops swarm the eastern Ukrainian city with almost no cover, allowing Ukrainian drones to take them out with ease, per the report.
CNN shared footage of what appeared to be one such strike on exposed Russian soldiers, as well as images of "dead and dying" soldiers who had taken part in some of the attacks.
"They assault with a large number of personnel," "Teren," an artillery reconnaissance commander of Ukraine's 110th Mechanized Brigade, told CNN.
"Assault after assault, non-stop. If we kill 40 to 70 of them with drones in a day, the next day they renew their forces and continue to attack."
Russia has become increasingly reliant on high-risk frontal assaults, or "human-wave attacks," which attempt to overwhelm Ukrainian positions.
But the soldiers carrying out such attacks are often former prisoners and reservists, Nataliya Humenyuk, a press secretary for the Armed Forces of Ukraine's Joint Command South, said during an interview, the Kyiv Post reported. Many of these soldiers are also poorly trained and under-equipped.
Russia's elite marines and paratroopers, on the other hand, are refusing orders to take part in these assaults due to the high risks involved, Humenyuk said.
Although Ukrainian forces say they have largely been able to hold back the Russian attacks, they say the Russians have more weapons and personnel, per CNN.
"We need more people, more military, more equipment. We need more ammunition, more drones. Unfortunately, we don't have the amount needed to win. We need a lot," "Teren" told CNN.
Ukraine has been suffering from manpower shortages and increasing fears over military aid waning.
Russia, however, has a population over three times the size of Ukraine's and a much larger supply of soldiers and weapons to send to the front line.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces have been desperately trying to capture Avdiivka since October. The campaign has led to huge losses in both personnel and vehicles.