The Russian army is facing a serious manpower crisis: current recruitment and mobilization rates only partially compensate for personnel losses on the battlefield. This was stated by Andriy Yushov, a representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, during a speech at the international forum "Security Architecture".
The Endless Search for Soldiers
According to the expert, the process of recruiting new soldiers into the Russian army has not stopped for a single day since the start of the full-scale invasion. Moscow is using all available methods: from internal mobilization to attempts to recruit foreign mercenaries. However, as Yushov notes, the scale of these measures barely covers the actual losses on the front.
The situation is exacerbated by the fact that old methods of staffing, such as recruiting prisoners or those owing alimony, are no longer yielding the necessary results. For the Russian leadership and Vladimir Putin personally, the manpower issue is becoming an increasingly acute challenge, requiring the search for new, possibly more radical solutions.
Factors Contributing to Rising Losses
One of the key reasons why Russia is forced to constantly seek replacements for killed and wounded soldiers is the change in tactics of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. A significant contribution to the increase in enemy losses is made by the active use of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones).
Drones allow Ukrainian forces to effectively control movement routes, deliver pinpoint strikes on command posts, vehicle concentrations, and destroy logistical chains. This makes the advance of occupation forces extremely costly in human terms.
Kremlin Plans and the Threat of Expansion
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also voiced alarming data regarding the plans of the Russian command. According to him, Moscow is preparing for a new wave of mobilization, during which it plans to conscript another 100,000 people. These forces will likely be thrown into reinforcing the Chernihiv and Kyiv directions.
Furthermore, Zelenskyy warned about the tightening of control over the information space in Russia, including restrictions on the operation of social networks. In the Kremlin, according to the Ukrainian leader, five scenarios for the possible expansion of hostilities through the northern direction of Ukraine are being worked out.