In a significant disclosure, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Thursday that Russia has deployed a substantial force of 617,000 military personnel in Ukraine, as the conflict nears its two-year mark.
This revelation came during Putin's end-of-year press conference, where he provided insights into the scale of Russia's military involvement in the ongoing war.
Putin described the conflict zone's extensive front line, spanning over 2,000 kilometers, and emphasized the large number of personnel engaged in the area.
In addition to this, he mentioned the recruitment of 486,000 individuals into Russia's Armed Forces, with a rate of about 1,500 new recruits being added each day. However, Putin noted that there is no immediate need for further mobilization, stating that of those mobilized, at least 244,000 have been deployed to the front lines.
The Russian president's announcement follows his September 2022 declaration of a "partial" mobilization drive, which led to the call-up of approximately 300,000 reservists.
This move was aimed at bolstering Russia's troop numbers in Ukraine, reflecting the prolonged and intensive nature of the conflict.
While the Russian Defense Ministry has not been forthcoming with information regarding the total losses Russia has suffered since September 2022, independent sources have attempted to provide some insight.
The Mediazona news website reports that the Russian military's verifiable death toll in Ukraine now stands at over 38,200.
Furthermore, a U.S. Congress source, citing a declassified intelligence report, indicated that some 315,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded in Ukraine since the war began in February 2022. This figure represents nearly 90% of Russia's pre-war force, highlighting the significant impact the conflict has had on Russian military strength.
President Putin's disclosure underscores the massive scale of the Russian military effort in Ukraine and brings to light the significant human cost of the ongoing conflict. The situation remains fluid and continues to be a focal point of global attention as the war persists.
