According to a tender by the Russian government around 230,000 death certificates have been made for their families left behind, despite the Kremlin previously claiming only 6,000 were sent to their untimely deaths.
Vladimir Putin has also ordered a further 757,305 certificated for “combat veterans” who have survived, meaning that at least 1 million soldiers have been deployed since 24 February 2022 when the war started, Verstka media outlet reported.
Kremlin officials have been trying to “unsuccessfully hide” the real numbers which are classified as “state secrets.”
Read more on Russia-Ukraine war:
Russia’s ‘linchpin’ town could end up being another victory for Ukraine as Operation Tokmak is underway
On Tuesday the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has said that three Russian brigades “likely suffered heavy losses” during Ukraine’s liberation of Klishchiivka and Andriivka.
The ISW said that the Russian brigades were “combat ineffective” after looking through reports from Ukrainian military officials.
A commander of the brigade was killed in action and the three Russian brigades were the 72nd Motorized Rifle Brigade (3rd Army Corps), 31st Guards VDV Brigade and Russia’s 83rd Guards VDV Brigade.
ISW analysis said, “If recent Ukrainian advances south of Bakhmut resulted in the destruction of the 31st and 83rd VDV brigades’ combat capabilities, then the Russian command will likely laterally redeploy elements of another relatively elite formation to maintain critical elements of the Russian defence south of Bakhmut.”
The battle of Bakhmut saw at least “500 Russian soldiers being wounded or killed” daily as fierce fighting took place combined with Wagner Forces against Ukrainian troops.
