Russian forces attempt to bring in mercenaries from occupied territories in Luhansk, Donetsk and Georgia

Denis Karolvskiy, Saturday, 12 March 2022

Russian military chiefs have started to import mercenaries from occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia and mobilise residents of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in hostilities in Ukraine.

Source: Communiqué from the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces at 6pm on 12 March

Direct quote: "Owing to large losses of personnel and to problems staffing reserve units, Russian military commanders are bringing in ‘conscripts’ from the temporarily occupied areas in Donetsk and Luhansk, mercenaries from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and inmates of Russian prisons to fight in Ukraine."

Details: At the same time, morale among Russian soldiers already in Ukraine is extremely low.

According to the General Staff, attempts to desert have increased among the Russian forces.

The communiqué notes that Russian forces are experiencing significant logistical difficulties owing to long lines of communication. This has led Russian troops to resort to looting and robbing the local population, shops and pharmacies in captured areas.

The General Staff has warned that there remain risks of sabotage at both military and civilian facilities in the Volyn area.

Despite attempts by the Russian forces to consolidate their positions, the Ukrainian forces have continued to conduct defensive operations on all fronts.

Background:

• The Ukrainian Armed Forces managed to liberate two localities in the Chernihiv region in 24 hours on 12 March.
• The forces defending Mariupol have called on military and political leaders to strike at the rear of the Russian forces using Bayraktar unmanned combat aircraft.
• The Ukrainian forces have established that mobilised residents from temporarily occupied areas in Luhansk and Donetsk were taken to Mykolayiv to attempt to take the city by storm.