Poorly trained Russian soldiers captured by Ukraine describe being used as cannon fodder by commanders throwing waves of bodies into an assault.
Tag: Mercenaries and Private Military Contractors
Wagner Founder Has Putin’s Support, but the Kremlin’s Side-Eye
Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the once secretive tycoon, is confounding Moscow’s Kremlin-allied elite by starting to dabble in politics alongside waging war in Ukraine.
Russian Attacks Intensify in Eastern Ukraine Ahead of Expected Offensive
Russia is deploying hundreds of thousands of newly mobilized soldiers, in small groups, to probe for vulnerabilities in Ukrainian defensive lines.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov Heads to Mali
Mali said it and Russia will seek to strengthen security and defense ties, in a country where Russia already provides helicopters and mercenaries.
Soaring Russian Death Toll in Ukraine Gives Grim Insight Into the War
Moscow is sending poorly trained recruits, including convicts, to the front lines in eastern Ukraine to pave the way for more seasoned fighters, U.S. and allied officials say.
How an American Veterans Group Imploded in Ukraine
The Mozart Group was training Ukrainian soldiers and evacuating frontline residents until the money ran out. Its collapse sheds light on the stresses faced by such groups.
Some Wagner Convict Fighters in Ukraine Are Returning to Russia
Tens of thousands of inmates have joined a mercenary group fighting with the Kremlin’s decimated forces in Ukraine. Some of them are returning to civilian life with military training and, in many cases, battlefield traumas.
France to Pull Troops Out of Burkina Faso, as Its Unpopularity in Africa Grows
The West African country had demanded that French troops leave. France confirmed they would be out in a month.
Imagery Shows How a Cemetery for Russian Mercenaries Is Expanding
Recent satellite imagery and video footage offer a rare look at combat fatalities sustained by the Wagner mercenary group in Ukraine.
Russia’s Claim to Seize Soledar in Ukraine Exposes Rifts Among Forces
After Russia’s Defense Ministry said its troops had taken Soledar, a leader of the Wagner mercenary group accused the military of stealing credit. Ukraine said its forces were still fighting there.