Less Than 10% of Russia's Pre-Invasion Professional Army Is Left

For all intents and purposes, 90% of Russia's pre-invasion has been killed or incapacitated in the three and a half years since the 2022 invasion. 

Most of those casualties occurred in the first year after the invasion, according to Ukrainian military sources, but even those who survived have suffered as casualty rates have increased over the past 18 months. While recruitment picked up during 2024, it has since declined because the Russian government is close to recession and can no longer afford to pay extraordinary recruitment bonuses. JL  

Espreso Global reports:

Russia’s professional army was wiped out early in the invasion. At the start of the war, Russia had 750,000 troops. Now that number is 1,115,000. But Ukraine’s forces have eliminated over 1 million Russian soldiers. In other words, the entire professional army has been destroyed. Only around 10% of the Russian special forces are left who can actually fight effectively. "Russian recruitment has died down. People see only coffins coming back from the front. Plus, the money’s running out, they’ve started paying less.” On June 19, Russian forces lost1,080 soldiers in 24 hours.

Russia’s occupying forces have finite resources for continuing the war against Ukraine

This was stated live on Espreso by General Mykola Malomuzh, former head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service (2005–2010).

“Putin no longer has the resources he once did. Especially not the cannon fodder that was constantly pushed to the front. We remember how Russia was offering up to 1 million rubles for signing a contract with the army. But when it came to real combat, these recruits were just thrown into 'meat assaults', and they still are. As a military man, I can say many more die in those attacks. Now, that recruitment wave has died down. People in Russia see only coffins coming back from the front. Plus, the money’s running out, they’ve started paying less,” Malomuzh said.

According to him, Russia’s professional army was wiped out early in the full-scale invasion.

“At the start of the war, Russia had over 750,000 troops. Now that number is over 1,115,000. But Ukraine’s defense forces have already eliminated over 1 million occupiers. In other words, the entire professional army has been destroyed. Only around 10% of the Russian special forces are left, those who can actually fight effectively. And even their resources are running out,” he added.

 

On June 19, Ukraine’s General Staff reported that Russian forces lost at least 1,080 soldiers in the past 24 hours. Ukrainian troops also destroyed 63 artillery systems and 8 armored combat vehicles.