Russian military retreat from positions and ignore orders to counterattack - ISW
Russian commanders are facing a choice between withdrawing their forces from "broken positions" throughout the counteroffensive period or sacrificing their soldiers, according to the ISW report.
In particular, Russian commanders increasingly find themselves torn between "wasting" their troops in counterattacks to hold tactical positions or standing up to the Russian military command by retreating to previously prepared positions against orders or pressure, thereby risking their careers.
According to ISW, the Russian military may have redeployed elements of the 41st Combined Arms Army (CAA) and elements of the 810th Naval Infantry Brigade to the Kherson direction. Additionally, unspecified units of the Russian Marine Corps were observed in the area.
Key findings from ISW include:
- Russia continues to use the personal data of Russian citizens for crypto-mobilization efforts.
- Russian occupation officials continue to advertise programs for the forcible removal and deportation of Ukrainian children.
- Russian forces conducted offensive operations along the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line, in the western Donetsk-eastern Zaporizhzhia region border area, and in western Zaporizhzhia region but did not advance on October 5.
- Russia will reportedly build a permanent naval base in Abkhazia, but it will likely remain small.
Russian losses in Ukraine
According to the General Staff, Ukrainian fighters eliminated an additional 580 Russian occupiers in the past day, bringing the total losses of enemy forces in Ukraine to 280,470 soldiers. The Ukrainian Armed Forces also destroyed 31 Russian artillery systems, 26 armored combat vehicles, and 12 enemy tanks.
Russia officially does not disclose its army's losses in the war against Ukraine. However, opposition Russian media have compiled a list of over 30,000 Russian military personnel who have perished on the front lines.