Russia killing its own soldiers who try to flee – US says

As per the White House, Russian forces are responsible for the deaths of soldiers who try to retreat from an aggressive assault in eastern Ukraine.

According to the United States, some of the people who were hurt or killed from Russia near Avdiivka were a result of their own leaders’ instructions.

Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have been fighting each other strongly for control of the frontline town since October.

It is believed that Russia experienced big losses during this time.

Ukrainian people believe that about 5,000 Russian soldiers were injured or killed in Avdiivka. The United States thinks that Russia lost at least 125 armored vehicles and a lot of equipment, which is enough for a battalion.

A person from the Ukrainian army said that Russian soldiers were not attacking Ukrainian positions near Avdiivka because they had suffered many casualties. They also mentioned that there were rebellions happening within some Russian units.

Russia’s military forces are not well-trained, do not have enough equipment, and are not ready for fighting. This was also true during their unsuccessful attack last winter, according to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby during a briefing on Thursday.

He said that the Russian military seems to be using a strategy called “human wave” tactics, where they send large numbers of unskilled soldiers directly into battle.

No good tools, no one in charge, not enough resources, no help. Kirby said that it is not surprising that Russian forces are feeling discouraged and demoralized.

If the Russian troops take over Avdiivka, which is close to Donetsk city, it will be more difficult for Ukrainian forces to continue moving forward in the Donetsk region. This is because Russian troops will be moving their front line backwards.

Almost all of the 30,000 residents of Avdiivka have left because Russian forces are still attacking the town. Earlier this week, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, said that the situation was really difficult.

On Thursday, the US said they will give Ukraine $150m (£123. 7m) to help their military. This includes things like guns, bullets, and weapons to destroy tanks.

However, it is uncertain if Ukraine will continue to receive assistance in the future after Republican Mike Johnson was elected as the speaker of the US House of Representatives.

Mr Johnson, who belongs to the conservative side of the Republican Party, opposes giving any more help to Ukraine from the United States. In the past, he has also backed changes to prevent this aid from going through.

The US has given a lot of money (over $46 billion) to Ukraine for their military, and also provided additional money for other needs like finance and helping people.

The leader of Russia, Vladimir Putin, attacked Ukraine in a big way in February 2022.