By Chris York
SLAVIANSK, UKRAINE – Russian personnel and equipment losses in Ukraine have reached such high levels that the Kremlin is experiencing “serious problems” in recruiting new contract soldiers, according to Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) spokesperson, Andrii Yusov, on July 26. Yusov also noted that Russia is now relying on decommissioned Soviet-era weapons due to its inability to produce enough modern versions.
During an appearance on national TV, Yusov indicated that these recruitment challenges will soon affect the frontline and Russia’s overall war capability. The U.K. Defense Ministry reported on July 12 that Russian losses in May and June hit “conflict highs,” with average daily casualties (killed and wounded) at 1,262 and 1,163, respectively. President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a BBC interview on July 18, estimated that around 20,000 Russian troops were killed during Russia’s failed offensive in Kharkiv Oblast.
While Russia is able to replace these losses, Yusov highlighted significant issues in attracting new contract soldiers. “The aggressor state is coming up with new incentives at various levels to attract new cannon fodder. But this machine is starting to malfunction,” he said. In an effort to replenish its ranks, Russia has implemented financial incentives for enlistment. On July 23, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin signed a decree offering a one-time signing bonus of 1.9 million rubles ($21,200) to city residents who join the military. Other regions have also introduced signing bonuses, such as 1 million rubles ($11,200) in Krasnodar Krai and 500,000 rubles ($5,600) in Dagestan, though Moscow’s bonus is the highest reported so far. According to Sobyanin’s office, a Moscow resident who enlists will earn over 5.2 million rubles ($58,600) in their first year of service.
Regarding military equipment, Yusov stated that Russia is now “mainly focused on the decommissioning and modernisation of old Soviet weapons” due to high losses. “There are problems with the production of new equipment, in particular, because of the sanctions policy,” he said, adding that Russia faces significant challenges in accessing modern electronic systems, optics, and communication systems.
Russian equipment losses in Ukraine have surpassed another milestone, with the total number of tanks claimed as destroyed by Kyiv now exceeding 8,000. As of July 26, the figure stands at 8,320, according to the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. At the outset of the full-scale invasion, Russia was estimated to have around 3,300 operational tanks, indicating that more tanks have been destroyed than initially deployed, supplemented by those drawn from storage as the conflict has continued.
For more information on Russia’s tank losses in Ukraine and other related updates, read our detailed analysis.
Remains of Russian soldiers found in the Bakhmut battle zone, Sloviansk, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on June 29, 2024 (Pablo Miranzo/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Russian losses in Ukraine causing ‘serious problems’ for recruitment, HUR says originally appeared on abcnews.go.com*
