Russia has suffered major losses in both equipment and personnel since the February 24 invasion of Ukraine. The British Ministry of Defense released an update detailing Russia’s high casualties and on July 17, stating that Russia has reportedly suffered 50,000 killed or wounded soldiers since the invasion began.
The Defense Ministry intelligence update stated: “The poor performance of the Russian armed forces during the invasion of Ukraine has been costly to the Russian military leadership, most likely leading to the dismissal of at least six Russian commanders since the start of hostilities in February 2022.”
It continued: “The commanders of Russia’s eastern and western military districts have most likely lost their commandos.
“General Colonel Aleksandr Chayko was dismissed as commander of the Eastern Military District in May 2022
“Colonel General Aleksandr Zhuravlev, who has been in command of the Western Military District since 2018, was absent from the Russian Naval Day in St. Petersburg on July 31, 2022 and has most likely been replaced by Lieutenant General Vladimir Kochetkov.”
The update added: “General Aleksandr Vladimirovich Dvornikov has subsequently been removed after being given overall command of the operation in Ukraine, and General Sergei Surovikin has taken command of the Southern Grouping of Forces from General Gennady Valeryevich Zhidko.
“The layoffs are compounded by at least 10 Russian generals who were killed on the battlefield in Ukraine.
“The cumulative effect on command consistency is likely to contribute to Russian tactical and operational difficulties”
After such a challenging battle, a Kremlin insider dubbed “Putin’s chief” took tours of Russian prisons with a mission to recruit 1,000 convicts for his Wagner Group, it has been reported.
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According to a website of the Russian opposition, the convicts will be trained and sent to the front to fight against Ukraine.
The Verstka website partnered with Russian Sitting, a charity that helps families of convicts, and they reported that the paramilitary group encouraged 1,000 criminals from 17 prisons to fight in Ukraine.
In response, the convicts will reportedly receive a salary of 200,000 rubles (£2,700) a month, a presidential pardon and in the event that they fight for Russia, their families will receive a ‘coffin payment’.
The website reported: “Three inmates told human rights activists that businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin was reportedly coming to the colony.”
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The inmates told the activists that the recruiter was looking for people in good physical condition and “rejecting old people and people with serious illnesses”.
They “expressed an interest in those convicted of murder and theft” and the inmates chose full basic training and then go to Donbas in eastern Ukraine.
It added that “the inmates in prison for drug and sex offenses are normally not selected”.
The offer to prisoners to escape punishment by “fighting for the motherland” has been labeled the offer too good to be true, with Russia Sitting warning that the promises are not legally binding and that the group should not be trusted.
Russia Sitting said: “We can advise relatives, if possible, to pass the risks on to their loved ones and try to dissuade them from accepting mercenary offers.”