Russia is losing 6,000 more troops every month than it manages to recruit, – Guardian
Russia is losing 6,000 more troops a month on the battlefield in Ukraine than it manages to mobilise. Despite actively recruiting new troops, the Kremlin is unable to fully make up for its losses.
This is reported by The Guardian, citing Western officials, according to Censor.NET.
Recruitment shortfall
According to estimates by Western officials, Russia continues to recruit around 1,000 soldiers a day; however, over the past two months, this has proved insufficient to replace those killed and wounded.
"We estimate that the gap between the number of people Russia is losing as a result of combat operations and the number it manages to recruit currently stands at around 6,000 people a month," said one of the sources.
A shift in Russia’s tactics
According to Western officials, due to limited ability to compensate for massive losses on the battlefield, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is relying on strikes against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and the population.
The publication reports that since the beginning of July, Russian forces have fired over 360 missiles, exploiting Ukraine’s lack of defences against ballistic missiles.
This tactic is driven, in particular, by the fact that Putin has limited capacity to make up for massive losses on the battlefield through additional conscription, notes The Guardian.
The risks of a new mobilisation
Western officials believe that a further large-scale mobilisation in Russia could create serious political and economic problems for the Kremlin. They point out that during the previous wave in autumn 2022, around one million Russians left the country, including many highly qualified specialists.
Furthermore, the question remains as to whether the Russian army is capable of providing for and training a large number of new recruits, given the shortage of equipment and officer personnel.
A strategy of attrition and blackmail
Western officials believe that Putin’s main objective is to continue his campaign to wear down Ukraine, in the hope that support from Kyiv’s allies will wane, particularly if foreign governments are intimidated by a potential Russian threat.
According to one official, Russia’s threats against European states should be seen as attempts to create a "divided and more vulnerable Europe".
Another official noted: "It is important to remember that there is nothing new in this. Over recent years, Russia has repeatedly resorted to threats of the possible use of nuclear weapons in an attempt to intimidate us and force us to stop supporting Ukraine."
