Putin is running out of soldiers: now he's resorting to "unconventional" methods
Created: 07/14/2022, 17:17
By: Bedrettin Bölükbasi
In the Ukraine war, Vladimir Putin's army is struggling with a shortage of soldiers.
(Archive photo) © Ramil Sitdikov / dpa
Russia's military suffers high casualties in the Ukraine war.
In order to eliminate the troop deficit, Putin is probably using unconventional methods.
Munich — After weeks of difficulties and setbacks, the Ukraine conflict is now running easier for the troops of Russian ruler Vladimir Putin.
After capturing Luhansk, they now want to capture Donetsk as well.
This map shows where the Ukraine war is raging.
Nevertheless, Ukraine put up fierce resistance and inflicted heavy casualties on the Russian military.
In order to replace the fallen soldiers, Russia apparently resorts to unconventional methods.
This probably includes, among other things, recruitment in prisons and the promise of high financial benefits.
Ukraine News: Putin is now recruiting from prisons - video is said to show Wagner recruitment
In the intelligence assessment of Tuesday
(July 12)
, the British Ministry of Defense confirmed a shortage of personnel on the Russian side: “Staff shortages in the Russian armed forces could force the Russian Ministry of Defense to resort to unconventional recruitment methods.” According to London, this is how Moscow wants to recruit prisoners in prisons.
These would then serve in the notorious Wagner mercenary group with close ties to the Kremlin.
"If true, this move likely indicates difficulties in replacing the significant Russian losses," the UK MoD said.
Moscow may already have started to put this plan into action.
Kremlin critic Igor Sushko tweeted a video purporting to show the recruitment of inmates at a penitentiary in Adygea, in the North Caucasus region of southern Russia.
Citing sources at Russian human rights activist and activist Vlad Osechkin, Sushko wrote that 300 people had been recruited.
Ukraine-News: Putin's order to Russian regions - demand for one volunteer force each
In the background of the Ukraine war there was often speculation about a possible general mobilization in Russia.
Contrary to expectations, it has not yet acted, but the US newspaper
The New York Times
reported on a "secret mobilization".
Russia has a problem with recruitment and mobilization, independent Russian analyst Kamil Galeev told the newspaper.
Moscow is desperately trying to recruit more soldiers by any means possible.
Fighters are advertised on the Internet and with posters on the streets.
Moscow avoids calling the invasion of Ukraine a war, instead calling it a "military special operation."
However, this prevents the call-up of Russian military reserves.
As an alternative, according to the Russian leadership, more volunteer battalions should now go to war.
According to an estimate by the American
Institute for the Study of War (ISW)
, each of the 85 Russian regions must provide a unit of volunteers on orders from the Kremlin.
This would significantly increase Russian troop strength: According to the institute, 34,000 new soldiers can be recruited in this way.
These are contracts with a term of six months and a payment of around 3,750 to 6,000 dollars.
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Ukraine-News: Kremlin pays large sums to new recruits - up to 6,000 dollars a month
However, it is also important to note that most of these quickly and easily recruited soldiers lack the necessary military experience.
Without training, going to war could turn into a suicidal scenario for them.
Still, it's likely that the Kremlin's alternative recruitment methods are actually having an effect.
The high pay for military service is likely to contribute to this.
The Russian military is attracting new recruits with handsome sums of money, as reported by the
New York Times
.
The payments for soldiers were therefore increased significantly.
Before the Ukraine war, a soldier's monthly salary was just $200, while the average monthly salary in Russia is around $700.
In the military field, the situation has now fundamentally changed: According to the American newspaper, volunteers are now paid between $2,000 and $6,000.
The pay could also tempt workers whose factories have been shut down by sanctions.
Such efforts by the Kremlin would keep the war going but would not eliminate the large deficit in Russian troops, analysts told the
New York Times
.
It remains to be seen whether Moscow's recruiting methods will fundamentally influence developments in the war.
In any case, ex-Brigadier General Erich Vad sees Putin's military advantage despite the high losses and warned of a possible end to negotiations.
(bb)