Average Lifespan Of A Frontline Soldier In Ukraine Is 4 Hours, American Fighter Reveals

The average lifespan on the front line of the besieged city of Bakhmut in Ukraine's partially occupied eastern Donetsk province is just a couple of hours, according to an American fighting with the Ukrainians against Russian forces.

"It's been pretty bad on the ground. A lot of casualties. The life expectancy is around four hours on the front line," Troy Offenbecker, formerly of the United States Marine Corps, told ABC News.

Bakhmut, Russia's primary target since last September, has seen some of the deadliest fightings in the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, according to Offenbecker.

The former Marine from Michigan described the situation in the city, dubbed "the meat grinder," as "chaotic."

"[The artillery] is nonstop. [Russian forces] have maybe run into a shortage of shells lately, but the past couple of weeks it's been nonstop. All day and night," Offenbecker said.

Russia has reportedly been trying to encircle Bakhmut, but its forces have met fierce Ukrainian resistance.

A long-awaited Russian offensive may be carried out right now, according to Ukrainian and Western officials, but the operation has been complicated by heavy losses of personnel, equipment and logistical challenges.

Russia could not move as much armor as it would like due to the state of the ground, Offenbecker, who noted that the winter has been warmer than usual, claimed.

Despite being subjected to months of constant assaults, "quite a few" civilian families remain in parts of Bakhmut that have yet to be taken by Russian forces.

They stayed even after an evacuation order was issued last week.

"A lot of these families are poor. They don't have anywhere to go... even if they wanted to. So the reality is there still are a lot of civilians that are stuck in the middle of this," Offenbecker said.

Russia has lost a total of 146,820 men in the war, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces claimed in a casualty report Friday as the conflict marked its first anniversary.

Russian losses also included 3,363 tanks, 6,600 armored fighting vehicles and 2,363 artillery systems, among other military equipment.

Meanwhile, Ukraine may have already suffered more than 120,000 casualties, The Telegraph reported earlier this month.