Kirby said Russia “continues to show indifference to the lives of its soldiers” and the United States believes recent military casualties are in the thousands, “some of them at the behest of their own leaders.”
The White House spokesman also noted that Russia’s mobilized forces remain untrained, ill-equipped and unprepared for combat, “as they were during last year’s failed winter offensive.” “The Russian military appears to be using what they call ‘human wave’ tactics, simply throwing masses of these poorly trained soldiers into battle. Without the right team, without leadership, without resources, without support,” Kirby said.
A senior White House official said the new Russian offensive in several directions, including the Avdeevka, Liman and Kupyansk areas, “was not unexpected.” “We have warned that President Putin remains committed to conquering Ukraine and we are working to ensure that Ukraine has the means necessary to defend its territory,” Kirby said.
He also recalled that the United States announced another security assistance package, which includes air defense systems, Javelin anti-tank missiles, artillery munitions and the HiMARS mobile artillery missile system. “So far, using all these capabilities, the Ukrainians have been able to contain this offensive, successfully repelling the Russian tank columns advancing towards Avdiivka,” the White House spokesman emphasized.
According to Kirby, on October 11, Russia suffered significant losses during this offensive, including at least 125 armored vehicles and more than one vehicle battalion in the Avdievka area. At the same time, he noted that the United States expects new Russian attacks. “This is a dynamic conflict, and we must remember that Russia still retains some offensive capabilities and can make some tactical gains in the coming months,” a White House official acknowledged.
