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Front-line Ukrainian infantry units report acute shortage of soldiers
The Washington Post ^ | February 8, 2024 | Isabelle Khurshudyan, Anastacia Galouchka

Posted on 02/08/2024 9:50:47 AM PST by MinorityRepublican

The Ukrainian military is facing a critical shortage of infantry, leading to exhaustion and diminished morale on the front line, military personnel in the field said this week — a perilous new dynamic for Kyiv nearly two years into the grinding, bloody war with Russia.

In interviews across the front line in recent days, nearly a dozen soldiers and commanders told The Washington Post that personnel deficits were their most critical problem now, as Russia has regained the offensive initiative on the battlefield and is stepping up its attacks.

One battalion commander in a mechanized brigade fighting in eastern Ukraine said that his unit currently has fewer than 40 infantry troops — the soldiers deployed in front-line trenches who hold off Russian assaults. A fully equipped battalion would have more than 200, the commander said.

Another commander in an infantry battalion of a different brigade said his unit is similarly depleted.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Ukraine
KEYWORDS: 103rdweek; 130000deadrussians; 24thmonth; 3daywar; anastaciagalouchka; isabellekhurshudyan; paywallnothanks; putinsblunder; putinsfolly; putinsshame; ukraine
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1 posted on 02/08/2024 9:50:47 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

40/200 = 20% strength.

As Harry Reid once said, “The war is lost.”


2 posted on 02/08/2024 9:55:39 AM PST by grey_whiskers ( The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: grey_whiskers

Valerii Zaluzhnyi got fired because he wanted to mobilize to get more troops to keep the front fortified. Zelensky said no.


3 posted on 02/08/2024 9:56:38 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Ukraine has now gone through two armies. The first they had on Feb. 22, 2022, the second was mobilized and trained for their failed offensive.

There isn’t a third


4 posted on 02/08/2024 10:00:01 AM PST by PGR88
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To: MinorityRepublican
Front-line Ukrainian infantry units report acute shortage of soldiers

This is why the current average age of Ukie military men is now in the low 40s. Not that Zeepers are impressed. When facts are inconvenient, they deny, ignore and/or lie.

5 posted on 02/08/2024 10:02:55 AM PST by JonPreston ( ✌ ☮️ )
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To: grey_whiskers; PGR88

And yet, they’re STILL able to hold off “mighty” Russia. Remarkable!

lol


6 posted on 02/08/2024 10:05:16 AM PST by canuck_conservative (NATO - now celebrating 75 successful years of keeping the Russian monsters out!!)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Not enough ukies or 155mm.

Should’ve sued for Peace last spring.


7 posted on 02/08/2024 10:13:26 AM PST by Uncle Miltie (Objective: Permanently break the will of the population to ever wage war again.)
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To: JonPreston

This made me think that people are living longer today than a hundred years ago, but I don’t think the low 40s is the new low 20s. And life span may not be increasing in war zone countries either. I think low mid 20s is probably desirable for bulk of troops. I would be curious to know what the average age of our US military members and the Israeli’s IDF as well, for comparison.


8 posted on 02/08/2024 10:14:06 AM PST by desertsolitaire
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To: desertsolitaire

In Ukraine, they can’t draft you until you’re 27.


9 posted on 02/08/2024 10:15:32 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Looks like they’re losing them faster than they can make new ones. This is what destroyed the Japanese Air Force during WWII. It’s why they reverted to Kamikaze. It’s quick and easy to train a pilot if he doesn’t have to know how to land.


10 posted on 02/08/2024 10:20:36 AM PST by cuban leaf (2024 is going to be one for the history books, like 1939. And 2025 will be more so, like 1940-1945.)
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To: canuck_conservative
And yet, they’re STILL able to hold off “mighty” Russia. Remarkable!

Hey Biden, "hold off" implies that Russia is interested in taking on the whole of the country.

Exactly what makes you think that's their goal? They've captured the 20% plus they want, and Zelensky, the homoclown, along with the full force of US and NATO is powerless to stop them.

You know. It's a repeat of the other disasters: Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.

Check your facts. Putin incorporated that 20% into the Ruskie homeland over a year ago.

Wake up -- if you can.

11 posted on 02/08/2024 10:20:54 AM PST by icclearly ( )
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To: MinorityRepublican

Ah but Zelensky has directed these missions like Bakhmut Krnky and now Avdeevka to hold at all cost and die in place. Reinforcements and resupply and evacuation of the wounded be damned.

His yes-man Syrsky is known as General 200 (200 meaning a battle death)

The Russians are pressing hard all along the line, giving the Ukes limited options to shift forces. And supply lines and logistics even in rear areas are also under attack.

February will be an interesting month.

The Uke Parliament just passed a new mobilization bill. It is not going to be popular with Ukrainians. They are going after teenagers and Uke men abroad who some govts have agreed to deport back to Kiev. Some 50,000 women are now serving on the frontlines.


12 posted on 02/08/2024 10:21:41 AM PST by silverleaf (“Inside Every Progressive Is A Totalitarian Screaming To Get Out” —David Horowitz)
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To: grey_whiskers

Running out of fighting age males…. As predicted. How long before they need foreign boots on the ground?


13 posted on 02/08/2024 10:21:48 AM PST by MrRelevant
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To: All

Funding and weapons do not create troop count.

This was true from day 1. They don’t have enough people and are not going to have enough people.

The decision is will NATO troops overtly and publicly march in.

There is no support for this. There was no reason to dig this hole so deep. Russia is going to win and the humiliation did not need to be this severe.


14 posted on 02/08/2024 10:23:17 AM PST by Owen (.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

You can resupply ammo but you can’t resupply soldiers.


15 posted on 02/08/2024 10:27:03 AM PST by McGruff (Don't underestimate Joe's ability to f*** things up - Barack Obama)
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To: MinorityRepublican
And, that is yet another reason for us not to give any penny to Ukraine. No amount of money will make up for the shortage of Ukrainian manpower.
16 posted on 02/08/2024 10:27:22 AM PST by Kazan
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To: icclearly
Check your facts

maybe you should follow your own advice

Russia temporarily "controls" * 14% of Ukraine, and 7% of that is Crimea, which Russia already had before it invaded in Feb. 2022

So basically, Putin has spent 2 years and had 130,000 Russian troops killed, to get just 7% of Ukraine ... an area the size of West Virginia ... by any measure, that's pathetic

* and by "control", you mean "subject to daily bombardment so heavy that border cities like Belgorod have to be evacuated", LOL!


17 posted on 02/08/2024 10:29:46 AM PST by canuck_conservative (NATO - now celebrating 75 successful years of keeping the Russian monsters out!!)
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To: MinorityRepublican

The article is such BS. An infantry platoon has 39 infantryman at minimum fill. An infantry company has 3 platoons of 49+, plus a weapons platoon with 3 mortor crews, and an antitank/vehicle squad.

Ukraine is being pushed hard. They are repeating their withdrawal tactics placing dragooned recruits, and support personnel into the front lines while the ideologue’s abandon their countrymen to fight another day.

The reserves have been expended and now at least 3 Frontline cities are falling.

Russia is at this moment gut punching Ukraine by taking the most heavily fortified “lynch pin” locations on the entire battlefield.

The remaining battles will be decided much quicker, with fewer Russian losses.

Ukraine forced Russia’s hand by attacking civilians in Russia. Now Ukraine is being forced to trade land for time. Time is running out.

The little (now dictator) Zenlinski will soon spend his remaining time in NATO countries.


18 posted on 02/08/2024 10:37:21 AM PST by Jumper
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To: MinorityRepublican

At first there are small cracks.

Then there is sudden collapse.


19 posted on 02/08/2024 10:38:19 AM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: MinorityRepublican

No problem. Ukrainian women and teens will be next. Then Americans.

The NeoCons can work their way through millions. All are expendable.


20 posted on 02/08/2024 10:38:26 AM PST by Trumpisourlastchance
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