Russia is understood to be ramping up its use of mercenaries in its assault on Ukraine by contracting at least two new private paramilitary groups to boost its military firepower 🔴 Exclusive from cahalmilmo
British officials estimate that the number of soldiers under Wagner’s control has ballooned from about 2,000 to more than ten times that figure after Prigozhin launched a recruitment drive in Russia’s prisons, offering amnesty to convicts willing to bear arms. It is estimated that the 20,000 Wagner recruits constitute up to a quarter of the total Russian frontline force in Ukraine.
“With Wagner in particular we have seen this very large shift from comprising a small force of elite, experienced soldiers to a ‘quantity’ model of poorly trained and expendable recruits sourced from the prison system. They are supplying Putin with the cannon fodder needed to try to take places like Soledar while sitting alongside regular forces. It could be that a similar [training] system is being established in Crimea.
A Ukrainian officer fighting in Soledar told the Associated Press this week that Russian forces had established a pattern of using units provided by Wagner to repeatedly probe defences, often suffering catastrophic casualty rates.
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