ISW: Russian forces sustaining higher casualties in western Zaporizhzhia region
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported Russian losses in western Zaporizhzhia have significantly increased in recent days following intense fighting in the Tavriisk direction.
Spokesperson for Ukraine’s Tavriisk Group of Forces Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun stated that Russian forces took 313 casualties on Sept. 18 and that this is significantly higher than estimated losses in the previous two days, which were roughly 200 soldiers each day.
According to Shtupun, Russian Airborne (VDV) forces are conducting defensive operations in the Tavriisk area and western Zaporizhzhia oblast, while “Storm-Z” detachments with recruited convicts have arrived to support the VDV.
ISW has previously reported that units of Russia’s 7th Guards Mountain VDV Division and the 76th Guards VDV Division were conducting counter attacks against Ukrainian liberated Robotyne, which has likely resulted in high rates of attrition.
The “Storm-Z” units are assessed by ISW to have limited combat effectiveness and will “likely provide the Russian defense in western Zaporizhzhia oblast with marginal combat power."
