A recent intelligence update from the United Kingdom has revealed that Russia’s deployed military is facing significant attrition and high turnover, even among relatively senior ranks. The report sheds light on a series of changes in leadership within one of Russia’s prestigious airborne regiments, raising questions about the stability and effectiveness of its military operations.
According to the UK Ministry of Defense’s war intelligence update, the situation within Russia’s military has become increasingly volatile since February 2022. Over this period, three successive commanders of the 247th Guards Air Assault Landing Regiment have either resigned or met unfortunate fates, including death.
The update highlights a tragic incident involving Colonel Vasily Popov, the commander of the 247th Regiment, who is believed to have been killed in the heavily contested Orikhiv sector in early September 2023. Just weeks before, in August 2023, his predecessor, Colonel Pytor Popov, is suspected to have resigned from his command. Independent Russian media reports suggest that Colonel Pytor Popov took this action in protest over the military’s failure to recover the bodies of Russian casualties.
The intelligence report underscores the alarming pattern of leadership turnover and attrition, even among relatively senior ranks, within Russia’s deployed military. It specifically notes the loss of Colonel Konstantin Zizevsky, the commander of the 247th Regiment, in the early weeks of the invasion near Mykolaiv.
These developments raise concerns about the stability and cohesion of Russia’s military forces on the ground and their ability to sustain operations in Ukraine.
In response to the ongoing conflict, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has recently indicated that Russia may announce a new wave of “forced” mobilization in the near future due to what it described as “catastrophic losses.” Estimates suggest that this mobilization could involve a substantial number of individuals, ranging from 400,000 to 700,000 people.
Additionally, the General Staff of Ukraine’s army has reported significant combat losses suffered by Russian troops since the beginning of the invasion. These losses include:
- 275,970 military personnel
- 4,666 tanks
- 8,933 armored combat vehicles
- 6,243 artillery systems
- 793 multiple-launch rocket systems
- 532 air defense systems
- 315 fixed-wing aircraft
- 316 helicopters
- 4,875 tactical drones
- 1,519 cruise missiles
- 8,742 vehicles and tankers
- 20 ships and boats
The high casualty figures underscore the intensity of the conflict and the substantial toll it has taken on Russia’s military forces in Ukraine.