Russia has been unable to form new military units due to a lack of men willing to go to war, recent intelligence from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence revealed.
The intel cited Moscow’s recent unsuccessful attempt to establish a new tank battalion due to insufficient troop numbers.
Since the beginning of July, only 30 people have volunteered to be part of the battalion out of the 160 required.
Russian officials have reportedly promised 10,000 Russian rubles ($167) monthly to the families of new recruits. However, the incentive has not significantly increased the number of people willing to fight in Ukraine.
Continuing Struggles
Since President Vladimir Putin launched his “special military operation” against Ukraine on February 24, Russian forces have suffered major losses due to stiff Ukrainian resistance.
A report by Forbes revealed that Russia had lost more than $5 billion in military equipment a month after the invasion began.
Over 2,500 pieces of enemy equipment had reportedly been destroyed as Moscow’s forces continued to launch offensives against key Ukrainian regions.
A US defense official also claimed that Russia is struggling to resupply its troops with new weapons and equipment due to the sanctions imposed by the West.
According to the anonymous official, the sanctions have hampered Moscow’s ability to produce tanks and rifles due to a shortage of foreign-made components.