Posted on 08/29/2022 1:04:10 PM PDT by UMCRevMom@aol.com
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin intends to increase the number of his troops by 137 thousand people. Experts attribute this decision to the numerous losses of the Russian Federation in the war against Ukraine.
What the Kremlin is guided by and whether it will change something at the front - says OBOZREVATEL.
The fiasco of the "special operation"
According to Putin's decree, which comes into force from the beginning of next year, the full-time strength of the Russian army increases to 1,150,628 people. "The Government of the Russian Federation should provide for the allocation of budgetary allocations from the federal budget to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation necessary for implementation," the document says.
This decree was signed against the background of significant failures of the occupation army. Just last week, the American Institute for the Study of War stated that Russia has lost its offensive momentum in the Donbas – the enemy cannot derive operational benefits from advancing around Bakhmut and Avdiivka.
The APU, maneuvering, exhaust the enemy and do not allow him to break into the rear. The occupiers have to constantly "stumble" over the defended positions. Such a lack of military planning, according to ISW, will prevent the Kremlin from achieving significant territorial successes in the coming months without major changes on the battlefield.
For comparison, during the most active phase of the offensive operation in the Donbas, the pace was on average 2-5 kilometers per day. This was achieved by the incredible efforts of the Russian side – the amount of ammunition, the scale of the use of artillery, aviation. Now the situation has changed dramatically so much that the Russian Defense Ministry for the first time in a month and a half has not announced the seizure of new territories.
The colossal losses that the Russian Federation has suffered in Ukraine cannot be covered even by covert mobilization, mass propaganda of contract service and active recruitment of mercenaries. There were reports that recruiters even went to prisons, promising prisoners freedom and money for service. And if it was not possible to fulfill the plan to recruit "cannon fodder" now, then next year it will be even more difficult to do so.
"In Russia, the resources of human power have dried up, which they also did not save there. Then it mainly happened at the expense of the "mobilized" in the "L /DNR", but the real offensive assault actions were conducted by the Russian military personnel, who are called elite units. Then the "Wagnerians" were connected. This is not the, excuse me, rabble that they are recruiting now. These were militants who had passed many hot spots and had a lot of experience. Consequently, the human resource has been depleted quite severely," Alexey Melnik, co–director of foreign policy programs, coordinator of international projects at the Razumkov Center, military expert, said in a comment to OBOZREVATEL.
Putin's goals
But why exactly 137 thousand people? There are several versions on this score. First. This number corresponds to the number of losses already suffered in the war in Ukraine. And with the help of a "planned" increase in the army, Putin will try to make up for these losses.
The second. The plans of the Russian leadership may be to increase the service life of conscripts by six months, that is, by one draft. And one call is about 140 thousand. For example, in the spring of this year, 134.5 thousand people were called up. That is, the autumn draft-2022 will be recruited, but the demob for those whose service life has expired has been canceled.
Third. The Kremlin may officially include in the Russian army the forces of the "L/DNR" terrorists or new Russian volunteer units that are not formally part of the army.
In one of its regular reports on the war in Ukraine, the British Ministry stated that it is not yet clear whether the planned increase will be achieved by attracting more volunteers – or by increasing the draft. But any increase in the army is unlikely to affect the course of the war in Ukraine, given that:
- Russia has lost tens of thousands of soldiers; -recruit very few new military personnel under contract (i.e. non-conscripts); - conscripts are technically not required to serve outside the territory of Russia.
"The Russian army is probably trying to compensate for the losses from the invasion of Ukraine and create forces to support its operation. The announcement of a relatively modest (but probably still unattainable) goal of increasing the final force convincingly indicates that Putin is still determined to avoid full mobilization," analysts at the Institute for the Study of War believe.
There is another opinion on this. Vadim Denisenko, adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Institute of the Future, believes that Putin is pursuing several goals with his decision:
Not by skill, but by number. This is the main motto of the Russian army of the last centuries. Otherwise they can't fight. It is necessary to frighten the West. Now many will consider that this is a step towards further expansion to the West. In fact, this is patching up holes that are already visible after six months of war. Putin decided to fight to the last. In the perspective of six months, ordinary Russians will feel a deterioration in life. In the perspective of the year, the Russian Federation will feel quite bad. Our key task is to survive. In fact, they do not have the strength to break the situation at the front. But we need more weapons.
What is the result?
Even if the General Staff of the Russian Federation replenishes reserves through general mobilization, it is not a fact that the Russian army will fight better. And as a result, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu will have to justify himself again, inventing reasons why the occupiers continue to fail.
However, this is not the first time for the Russian minister. The withdrawal from the territory of the northern regions of Ukraine in the Russian command was explained by "gestures of goodwill." And Shoigu justified the recent failures with attempts to "take" Donbass with "humanitarian norms".
"Slowing down the pace of the offensive during the "special military operation" in Ukraine is a conscious decision due to the desire to minimize civilian casualties," he said.
The Kremlin continues to lie, saying that the Russian army does not bear any losses at the front. Probably, only naive Russians who obediently watch TV will believe this. In their worldview, Russia "does not attack civilian objects," "the operation is going according to plan," and "all tasks will be completed." Therefore, Putin's decree on increasing the army against this background looks only like an imitation of strengthening combat capability.
He's running low on cannon fodder?.....................
Trying to replace his losses in Ukraine is what he’s doing.
Shouldn't be hard finding 500 guys.
When our Ukrainian cannon fodder runs out, are you going to volunteer? I certainly hope we don’t send American boy cannon fodder AGAIN when the Ukrainian bodies run out.
Because he’s winning so hugely that he wants to increase the military to show off. (joking).
Just more typical propaganda from reddit people writing stuff...
The increase in Russian Army size was already in the works months and months ago and was part of Russian Doctrine to shift from slowly shift from conscripts, etc.
Unreal how Western/EU/US/UK/NATO/Pro-Ukrainian media just continues to dig and scratch through piles of BS to ‘print’ what they call news or analysis, etc. Pathetic.
This article is confused. It is conflating the size of the “Russian Army” by which I assume they mean the ground forces, with the size of overall “Armed Forces”, which includes the Navy, Air Force, etc.. By what I’ve been able to find, the actual “army” has/had less than 300k troops, not over a million.
Riggght....
Are there enough sober Russians to fill the army? Then again, what would the generals care if their cannon fodder were sober.
For all your globalist warmongering needs, turn to George Soros. (also sponsored by Pfizer)
Spot on ! The Russians, similar to US, invest large number of personnel in naval, strategic, and tactical air and missile forces. Though the US does invest in a larger more deployable ground force.
*MAGA First/Anti-War/Anti-Globalist Ping*
If you want on or off this list, please let me know.
“By what I’ve been able to find, the actual “army” has/had less than 300k troops, not over a million.”
According to Putin’s decree, which comes into force from the beginning of next year, the full-time strength of the Russian army increases to 1,150,628 people. !!!!
He will ‘proclaim’ larger army force by end of year!?!
The RGF had 250,000 professional or contract personnel in Feb - do not think that they are all infantry as only 40% sometimes 50% are infantry - all the rest are support, air defense, armored, artillery, etc. There is so much misinformation out there about the make up of present-day Russian forces, it becomes difficult to ascertain the reality.
The million or sometimes millions you see on some places are based on the old Soviet Army figures - now long defunct. Some people even use the long-ignored 2012 S.Shoigu proposal to create BTGs in the RGF. That sort of military division is good, if you are fighting a low level insurgency like Afghan - Iraq, but not so good fighting a real intense war. Therefore, the General Staff of the RGF reverted to the standard military designations of Army, Division, Brigade, Battalion, Company etc.
Thank you.
As I said, I believe it is an error - most likely in translation. The Russians are not tripling the size of their “army” in one year, which would mean he was adding more than three quarters of a million. The number was clearly referring to overall Armed Forces, of which the ground forces/army are just one component.
“I believe it is an error - most likely in translation. The Russians are not tripling the size of their “army” in one year, which would mean he was adding more than three quarters of a million. The number was clearly referring to overall Armed Forces, of which the ground forces/army are just one component.”
I agree Bruce. You are most likely correct.
I have not seen or found this the alleged document of Putin’s ‘Decree’ anywhere on-line.
“According to PUTIN’S DECREES, which comes into force from the beginning of next year, the full-time strength of the Russian army increases to 1,150,628 people. “The Government of the Russian Federation should provide for the allocation of budgetary allocations from the federal budget to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation necessary for implementation,” the document says.
This decree was signed against the background of significant failures of the occupation army.”
BTW
Occupiers Drain Blood from Ukrainian Students
by Olha Povaliaieva
Friday, April 29, 2022
In the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, students are forced by Russians to donate blood for wounded Russian soldiers
According to the law, which is almost the only one not violated by Russia, students of higher education institutions can not be sent to war.
But the occupiers still found an illegal device for our young people — they are forced to donate blood for the occupiers. According to the ombudsman of Ukraine Lyudmila Denisova, as of April 29, 700 cases of forced donation are already known. The Russians are literally taking blood from both our military and civilians.
Universities where the illegal management of the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk forces students to donate:
-Donetsk National University;
-Donetsk National Technical University;
-Donbas National Academy of Civil Engineering and
Architecture;
-Donbas Law Academy;
-Gorky Donetsk National Medical University;
-Luhansk Medical University;
-Luhansk Agrarian University;
-Luhansk Pedagogical University;
-Luhansk Academy of Internal Affairs.
Forced donation is a crime under article 11 of the additional protocol to the Geneva Conventions.
When you claim a town has been leveled you show some bombed out buildings that could be from anywhere. Pics of smoke in the distance is a destroyed Russian airfield.
Got any more videos from a war game you want to pass off as real footage?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.