Russia's "Storm Z" Assault Units Lose 40-70 Percent of Troops Within Days

Russia's attempts to overwhelm Ukrainian units with Storm Z assault units made up of convicts and other 'undesirables' including minorities working in Russia who have been forcibly conscripted are resulting in decimating casualties of as much as 70% of unit strength within days of deployment. 

And, these attacks have failed to break through Ukrainian defenses, even as Ukrainian forces continue to advance around Bakhmut and towards Tokmak. JL 

Euromaidan Press reports:

Geolocated footage posted on 30 Oct., shows Ukrainian forces have advanced 10km southwest of Bakhmut and have advanced west of Robotyne in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Russia is attempting to halt the advance of Ukrainian forces near Bakhmut and regain lost positions using airborne units. When two Russian regiments conduct ”meat assaults” side by side, the seam between the regiments remains unsecured and vulnerable to Ukrainian counterattacks. “Storm-Z” assault detachments in the Avdiivka direction and on Bakhmut’s southern flank are often destroyed after a few days of active operations and on average lose between 40-70% of their personnel.

Geolocated footage posted on 30 Oct., shows that Ukrainian forces have advanced northeast of Kurdyumivka (10km southwest of Bakhmut), ISW reported.

According to the ISW, additional geolocated footage from 29 Oct. indicates that Ukrainian forces have marginally advanced west of Robotyne in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

The Ukrainian General Staff reiterated that Ukrainian forces are continuing offensive actions near Bakhmut and offensive operations in the Melitopol, western Zaporizhzhia Oblast, direction.

General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, said on 30 October that Russian forces have “significantly reinforced” their troop presence near the eastern city of Bakhmut and switched from defence to offence. Syrskyi stated that the situation in the east “remains difficult,” with Russian troops attacking Ukrainian positions daily.

He also noted that Russia is attempting to halt the advance of Ukrainian forces near Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, and regain lost positions using airborne units.

ISW reported on 30 Oct., that Russia also use  “Storm-Z” assault units predominantly made up of prisoner recruits in highly attritional infantry-led frontal assaults.

Ukrainian Tavriisk Group of Forces Spokesperson Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun stated on 30 Oct., that Russian forces are preparing to conduct “meat assaults” (colloquial jargon for infantry-led frontal assaults) near Avdiivka and are training “Storm-Z” assault units for future assaults without equipment. A Russian milblogger reportedly serving in the Avdiivka direction claimed that “meat assaults” are when Russian infantry forces attack without artillery support to suppress Ukrainian firing positions.

The milblogger claimed that when two Russian regiments conduct ”meat assaults” side by side, the seam between the areas of responsibility of both regiments remains unsecured and vulnerable to Ukrainian counterattacks. Another Russian milblogger claimed that “Storm-Z” assault detachments in the Avdiivka direction and on Bakhmut’s southern flank are often destroyed after a few days of active operations and on average lose between 40-70% of their personnel.