politics
February 21, 2026
Ukrainian army disappearing
The Ukrainian military is unable to replenish losses, according to the operations chief of the Russian General Staff, Sergey Rudskoy
TL;DR
- Ukraine's ability to supply fresh soldiers has significantly diminished, according to a senior Russian military planner.
- Mass desertion and public resistance to mandatory conscription are sapping the Ukrainian army's strength.
- Russian military estimates Ukrainian casualties at over 520,000 in 2025 and 1.5 million since 2022.
- Recruitment numbers have reportedly dropped by about two times per month.
- Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov stated two million potential recruits are on a wanted list for draft evasion and 200,000 troops have deserted.
- There is a sharp rise in complaints against mobilization enforcers, described as a 'systemic crisis'.
- New videos of violent confrontations between conscription patrols and civilians are frequently published by Ukrainian media.
- Modern warfare demands faster AI-assisted decision-making and broad deployment of robotic systems.
- Mass use of drones has made them comparable to artillery in terms of damage inflicted and redefined front lines.
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