It seems Russia’s much anticipated spring offensive in Ukraine is underway. The Kremlin has yet to fully acknowledge its start, but conditions on the battlefield indicate Russia is trying, in earnest, to gain ground.

As expected, most of the fighting is in the industrialized eastern part of Ukraine, an area known as the Donbas. Intelligence reports show a significant number of the Russian troops taking part in the offensive are likely mobilized troops, men who were conscripted into service and not professional soldiers.

It won’t be back.
The much-ballyhooed newest russian tank support fighting vehicle "Terminator" has been destroyed near Kreminna.
It burned just as any other russian IFV. pic.twitter.com/qQsNu7KEAF

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) February 10, 2023

Videos posted online by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense and others show columns of Russian armor getting decimated by Ukrainian artillery, drones and minefields. According to the Institute for the Study of War, the videos show Russian troops, who are undisciplined and ill-equipped for war, making costly mistake after costly mistake.

British intelligence said the Russians abandoned around 30 mostly intact armored vehicles after one failed assault. Reports from the front lines said Russia is losing more troops now than it did when it first invaded Ukraine almost a year ago.

Ukraine said its military killed 900 Russians in one day on Feb. 11. Another 5,000 Russian troops were either killed, wounded or captured in late January in the fight for Vuhledar. The Russian losses there included members of an elite Russian brigade and its command staff.

Ukraine’s Armed Forces said in Horlivka, around 30% of injured Russian troops have frostbite, because they were sent to fight without proper cold weather clothing.

The lack of battlefield success is not sitting well inside Russia. Military bloggers, who’ve been critical of previous battle blunders, are now outright furious with the country’s top brass. The ISW said some Russian bloggers are calling for military tribunals.

Vladimir Putin is downplaying the situation. In a message recorded on Feb. 9 and played on Russian airwaves on Feb. 12, Putin said Russia’s troops in the region are “working as they should” and “heroically fighting.” The ISW said Putin is likely putting on a brave face as his troops continue to suffer “catastrophic casualties” around Vuhledar.

Ukraine said from the start of the war through Feb. 14, more than 139,000 Russians have been captured, killed, or wounded. More than 3,200 tanks were destroyed along with thousands of artillery units, mobile rocket launchers, drones, vehicles and other equipment.

"I'll be there for you
'Cause you're there for me too."
The Rembrandts#Ramstein

Total combat losses of the enemy from Feb 24 to Feb 14: pic.twitter.com/Gfv4SRR0T5

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) February 14, 2023

The ISW said while there may be a push to blame individuals for Russia’s military mistakes, footage from the battlefield shows Russian forces engaging in “highly dysfunctional tactics,” which are more indicative of poor training, not poor command. The ISW said that systemic poor training will likely result in future similar tactical failures.