Russia finds it increasingly difficult to conceal losses as battle resources dwindle: Ukrainian intelligence
Photo: Russians are increasingly unhappy over losses from the war in Ukraine (Getty Images)
The Russian war against Ukraine is becoming a source of frustration in regions of the aggressor country. Reports of military actions disseminated by Russian propaganda increasingly evoke fatigue and dissatisfaction rather than enthusiasm among local populations, contrasting with the initial invasion narrative, reports the press service of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
According to intelligence reports, one of the reasons for such changes is the discrepancy between the regime's disseminated information and the actual situation: concealing losses during the war is becoming increasingly difficult, and resources for conducting military operations are depleting. This is evidenced by Moscow's active preparation for its historically record-breaking tax hike.
Under the Kremlin's plan, disguised as a "progressive income tax scale for individuals," levies in the budget will increase for Russians earning over $2,200 per month. The income tax rate will rise from 20% to 25%. According to estimates by the Russian regime, this so-called "tax reform" will generate around $200 billion from 2025 to 2031.
"The troubling trend in public sentiment, monitored by the Kremlin, is compelling Russia's military-political leadership to prepare the population for austerity measures and to react," noted regional representatives of Putin's regime are already attempting to shift the focus of attention from contentious military themes to "energetic" resolutions of socio-economic issues, as stated in the report of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR).
Intelligence asserts that officials of Vladimir Putin's Russian dictatorship, particularly party members from Moscow, have been dispatched "among the people" to organize various support events for participants in the war against Ukraine and their families, including citizen receptions, developments, and discussions of demonstrative social bills: supporting volunteerism, raising salaries, and protecting veterans.
"A particular focus here is on the "support" for disabled individuals, whose numbers are constantly increasing due to the war against Ukraine. Specifically, Russian authorities are seeking to promote domestic tourism for those maimed during combat operations. For instance, the minimum number of spaces reserved for disabled individuals in Russian parking lots now stands at 15%," highlighted by the GUR.
Additionally, Russia has decided to allocate so-called "Vereshchagin cards" to participants in the war against Ukraine - vouchers worth 15,000 rubles that can be used throughout the year to purchase tickets to cultural institutions.
Overall, as summarized by the GUR, the intensification of "social" activities by the aggressor state indicates an attempt to channel discontent and avoid uncontrolled social explosions in Russia.
Russian losses in the war against Ukraine
It is worth noting that as of this morning, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia's losses in the war against Ukraine amount to 557,770 military personnel.
Moreover, British intelligence calculated yesterday that Russia's daily average losses in Ukraine reached their peak at the beginning of the war. For example, in May and June 2024, they increased by 1,262 and 1,163, respectively.
Furthermore, according to American and other Western intelligence services, in May, over a thousand Russian military personnel were wounded or killed on average daily on the front lines. Nevertheless, Russia continues to recruit between 25,000 to 30,000 new soldiers per month (approximately the same number it loses).
