Due to the alleged mass refusal of Russian Airborne Forces (VDV) officers to participate in combat in Ukraine, Russian paratrooper command has begun trying to hire contractors to fill the vacant positions, but even they do not seem keen to fight, Ukrainian Intelligence said in a statement Saturday. Russia has been increasingly using contracted professionals - contraktniki in Russian - to replace conscripts in elite military units. After severe losses suffered by the Russian paratroopers as a result of clashes with Ukraine's army, the command of the airborne troops is attempting to restore the morale and combat capability of the...