"The entire 83rd Airborne Brigade is urgently withdrawn to the rear to restore combat capability," Vanek wrote. "There are too many casualties, they can't fight, there are too many 500s."

In Russian military parlance, a "code 500" is a soldier who refuses to fight.

If confirmed, it's a stinging loss for the new Russian northern grouping of forces, which includes around seven regiments and brigades.

And Russian losses in Vovchansk could get a lot worse, as the survivors of an entire battalion"that's hundreds of troops"have been trapped in a chemical plant in central Vovchansk for two weeks."

vid at link

'Putin Ally Rues Kharkiv Offensive Failures: 'Meat Grinder'

Russian propagandist and military blogger Alexander Kots has published a video on Moscow's current offensive into Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region, suggesting high troop losses have been sustained so far.

Weighing in on the offensive, Russian military blogger Kots, who serves on the Kremlin's human-rights council, said in a video published Wednesday that the battle for the region should be given the label "meat grinder." The term describes prolonged battles, racked up high casualty counts and the loss of significant resources.

"As for how things are going in the Kharkiv direction, the enemy is trying to attack in Lyptsi, near Hlyboke, and in Vovchvansk. Here, there will be no such serious advances in the future," said Kots.

"As I have already said, the operation 'Ukrainian Meat Grinder' is underway here now," he added.'