New Russian recruits reportedly survive only 20 to 35 minutes in combat
Russian troops (photo: Getty Images)
After reaching combat positions, a new Russian army recruit may survive for only 20 to 35 minutes. The main reason is drones, The New York Times reports.
According to historian Peter Frankopan, citing Russian military bloggers, once assigned to combat, a soldier can expect to survive from 10 days to three weeks, from arriving at a training ground to being killed in battle. Most recruits receive only a few days of training.
Loss figures
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Russia's monthly losses exceed 30,000 personnel;
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Total losses since February 2022 have surpassed 1 million, according to Western sources;
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Russia suffers eight casualties for every Ukrainian casualty;
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Recruitment of new contract soldiers has fallen by 30% this year.
Every day, the army recruits between 800 and 1,000 volunteers. Due to difficulties in finding soldiers, they are offered bonuses of up to $80,000 and debt forgiveness of up to $140,000.
For comparison, the average monthly salary in Russia is about $1,000.
"The extremely high Russian casualty rate is blamed on the astonishing rise in military drones, which have become Ukraine's most effective weapons," the NYT writes.
Threats from within Russia
Russian blogger and veteran Alexander Lunin accused commanders of torturing their own soldiers and said that if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not agree to a direct conversation, "the army will turn its weapons against the Kremlin."
Frankopan considers a revolution unlikely but warns:
"Beware the drowning man: The coming months will likely be dangerous outside and inside Russia as Putin tries desperately to stay afloat," he wrote.
The Russian military command has promised Putin that it will capture Donbas by the autumn of 2026. Military officials tell him that the Ukrainian army is exhausted, the front line is collapsing, and its forces are dwindling.
Based on these reports, Putin is convinced that his army is capable of capturing the entire Donetsk and Luhansk regions, after which he plans to increase his territorial demands during negotiations.
At the same time, analysts note that the Russian leader deliberately fabricates his army's "victories" and the Ukrainian Defense Forces' "defeats" to justify continuing the war at any cost.
