Russia to Station 690,000 Troops in Ukraine by End of 2024, Surpassing Numbers of All European Armies
ILLIA KABACHYNSKYI | Jul 25, 2024 | 10:19Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi gave a major interview to The Guardian. In it, he discussed the increasing number of Russian troops present in Ukraine. According to him, the Russian grouping currently exceeds 520,000 soldiers. By the end of the year, according to Syrskyi, the number of Russian soldiers in Ukraine will increase by 30%, reaching 690,000. Russia is concentrating troops on all fronts, as infantry assaults are currently the most common method of warfare among Russian generals.
Having failed to achieve their plans — capturing Kyiv in three days — Russia is gradually increasing its troop numbers in Ukraine. Initially, the full-scale invasion began with approximately 160,000-200,000 soldiers, according to various sources. The grouping then grew to nearly 330,000, then to 370,000, and by the end of October, about 400,000 Russian soldiers were in Ukraine. Over the next six months, this number increased by at least 100,000 more.
Russia is constantly recruiting people and is willing to pay for it. If the first wave of mobilization offered a reward of about $2,000-3,000 (200,000 rubles) for joining the army, today in Moscow, volunteers are being offered ten times that amount — $20,000 (2 million rubles). Rewards in the regions are smaller but still amount to thousands of dollars, which is a significant sum for cities where the average salary can be $200-$500. This indicates problems with conscription, but with substantial financial resources, Russia is effectively "buying" soldiers instead. And continues to do so. . .
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/russia-to-station-690000-troops-in-ukraine-by-end-of-2024-surpassing-numbers-of-all-european-armies-1390