Russian pro-war bloggers increasingly admit that the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ new tactics have seriously complicated Russia’s offensive operations and driven up losses. In the Z segment, it’s being called an "endless meat grinder" that dampens the will to advance even among motivated units.
One such post came from blogger Chadayev. According to him, Ukraine is fighting more effectively "as the second number" - not attempting to attack everywhere, but turning every Russian advance into the costliest and bloodiest possible process. "The core of the tactic is that the Ukrainian Armed Forces prepare "kill zones" in advance, where assaulting Russian units come under fire from multiple weapons at once.
Ukrainian artillery, he notes, is positioned deep in the defensive belt, beyond the reach of Russian drones, and pre-registers fire on its own forward edge. As soon as Russian assault groups move into positions that appear to have been abandoned, they are hit with precise strikes. Drones operate in parallel, hitting logistics, supply routes, and any activity near seized strongpoints.
This is reinforced by dense minefields, including remotely delivered mines, and ambushes along limited supply routes. Russian attempts to bring up a second echelon or reinforce positions often end in localized Ukrainian counterattacks aimed at preserving that zone of constant losses between the front line and the rear.
Chadayev acknowledges that, as a result, Russian commanders at various levels are increasingly reluctant to attack: progress is measured not in kilometers but in people lost. In the end, he says, Russia is more often "shading in maps" purely to report success.
