US War Research Institute: "Russia Uses Mercenaries Due to Troop Losses"

"Turning Elite Airborne Units into Mercenaries"

In Kharkiv Oblast in northeastern Ukraine, Russian forces are firing a BMD-4 armored vehicle equipped with the anti-tank missile "Kornet." Fighting has been ongoing for nearly three months in Kharkiv near the Russian border.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Wooseok] The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in the United States has reported that Russia has been increasing its use of mercenaries due to rising troop losses since its invasion of Ukraine.

According to The Washington Post (WP), ISW stated in an afternoon report on the 15th (local time) that Russia has suffered massive losses in the war in Ukraine and lacks sufficient reserves to compensate, leading it to employ private military companies and proxy militias.

ISW diagnosed, "Russia is transforming its elite airborne units into mercenaries," adding, "This is the clearest sign that Russia has exhausted its manpower reserves available for combat readiness."

It also noted that newly formed or reorganized units do not appear to be effective in combat, and that Russian units initially deployed to Ukraine faced difficulties during the first few weeks of the war due to lack of training and low morale.

Meanwhile, the Russian military is reportedly struggling in Ukraine. The UK Ministry of Defence analyzed in its daily intelligence update on the 15th (local time) that "the Russian military may have lost one-third of the ground combat troops deployed in February." Regarding the concentrated offensive in the Donbas region of Ukraine, it added that "(the Russian forces) have lost momentum and are significantly behind schedule," and "have failed to achieve substantial territorial gains."