War in Ukraine - Within two months, Russia loses 70,000 soldiers at the front
Russian troops have lost more than 70,000 soldiers in their offensive war over the past two months, according to British estimations. In May, the daily rate of killed and wounded soldiers was 1262, in June it was an average of 1163, the British Defense Ministry stated, citing intelligence information.
It is likely that Russia will lose more than 1000 soldiers daily in the coming two months, as they are attempting to overwhelm Ukrainian positions with mass attacks, the ministry added. Ukraine has been defending itself against Russia's attack since February 2022, and the British Defense Ministry has been regularly releasing information on the war's progression. Moscow accuses London of disinformation.
"The increase in losses reflects that Russia has opened a new front in the area of Charkiw and has maintained the attack rate at other fronts," the explanation from London read. Russia has indeed increased the pressure on the front. "However, effective Ukrainian defense and poor Russian training limit Russia's ability to achieve tactical successes, despite attempts to extend the frontline."
Ukraine recruits prisoners for the front
After more than two years of war, Ukraine must ask itself where it will get personnel reinforcements for the front. The Ukrainian military is reporting massive losses, exact numbers are not being disclosed. Unlike at the beginning of the Russian invasion, few volunteers are signing up for frontline service. For months, there have been discussions about further conscriptions.
Meanwhile, prisoners are being recruited for the front. Many of them volunteer, the Ukrainian Justice Ministry reported in May. Of the approximately 20,000 prisoners considered for recruitment, 4500 had expressed interest in joining the army at that time, Vice Justice Minister Olena Wysotska said. More than 3000 prisoners had filed an application for military enlistment.
The parliament in Kiev passed a law in early May allowing certain prisoners to join the armed forces. Only prisoners who still had less than three years of their sentence to serve could apply for voluntary enlistment in the military. Mobilized prisoners would not be pardoned but released from prison on parole.
The regulation also requires the approval of military authorities after a thorough examination of the applicant's physical and mental health condition. It does not apply to prisoners sentenced for serious crimes such as sexual violence, premeditated murder of two or more people, serious corruption, or violations of national security.
Russia also uses prisoners in the war
The regulation reminds of a similar law in Russia: Since the beginning of its invasion in Ukraine, Moscow has recruited prisoners from Russian prisons for use in the war. In exchange for six months of military service in Ukraine, they were initially promised clemency from President Vladimir Putin.
Following the enactment of the law in Kiev, Ukraine has been recruiting prisoners to bolster its military forces, with over 3000 expressing interest and applying for enlistment. Meanwhile, Russia, like Ukraine, has been utilizing prisoners in its ongoing conflict, recruiting them from Russian prisons since the beginning of its invasion, offering six months of military service in exchange for clemency from President Vladimir Putin.
