Russia is believed to be resorting to recruiting mercenaries and criminals, as well as sending injured soldiers back to the front to make up for the manpower shortage.
The Russian military is suffering from a shortage of manpower in its war against Ukraine and is becoming desperate to fill the shortage, says a US official on condition of anonymity, referring to information released by US intelligence on Wednesday.
– The Russian army is suffering from a significant lack of manpower in Ukraine, an official who remains anonymous says about the released intelligence information.
It is believed that the Russian army may even have to hire mercenaries and crews from private security companies to fill the shortfall, according to intelligence information. Soldiers who have been injured once may also be forced back to the front to fight, the source says.
– In addition, we have credible information that the Russian Ministry of Defense will possibly start recruiting criminals convicted in Ukraine, who will receive a full amnesty and monetary compensation in return, the official says.
Russia has been hiding its losses
Last Thursday, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin signed a decree to increase the size of the Russian armed forces from 1.9 million soldiers to 2.04 million soldiers. The AP news agency says that analysts familiar with the Russian military predict that the growth will rely heavily on the recruitment of volunteers.
The Russian administration has not disclosed the casualties of its war against Ukraine since the first weeks of the conflict. Western officials and the Ukrainian government, however, estimate that several thousand Russian soldiers would have died in the war.
Under Secretary of State for the United States Department of Defense Colin Kahl told the news agency AP in August that Russia would have suffered losses of around 70,000 or 80,000 soldiers during its attack. According to Kahl, the number can include both those killed and injured in battles.
During the war of aggression against Russia, the United States has published its intelligence data at intervals to reveal, for example, Russia’s influence on information or to highlight Russia’s difficulties in the war.
Earlier this week, the US administration revealed that Russia has purchased drones from Iran to use against Ukrainian forces. News agency AP reports that according to US information, Russia has had technical problems with drones.