infantry

Instead, Lt Pribylnov says, the Russians rely on small groups of infantry troops who relentlessly attack Ukrainian positions, sometimes on motor bikes but more often on foot.

Jones said her own husband, an active-duty Marine, deployed to Iraq in 2004 with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment based at Twentynine Palms — the same infantry unit now mustered in Los Angeles.

Oles and his men are in the infantry, serving in the trenches right at the very front of Ukraine's defence.

"These guys want to spend around 60 million on guns and light infantry vehicles and pay with diamonds," he added later.

"Tactics emphasised repeated attacks with dispersed assault groups, using small infantry fire teams, which increased overall casualties relative to terrain gained," he explained.