Russian Special Forces suffer heavy losses in Ukraine, changing dynamics of war – Pentagon leak

Russian commanders have deployed special forces alongside infantry formations since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. They have suffered huge losses, which have changed the dynamics of the war.

Source: The Washington Post, citing leaked classified Pentagon documents

Details: The leaked documents suggest Russian commanders have over-relied on the specialised units, which have been put to use as part of front-line infantry formations. Those formations, like the Ukrainians, have suffered massive numbers of dead and wounded.

The WP reports that Spetsnaz [special forces] personnel are typically assigned the sorts of stealthy, high-risk missions — including an apparent order to capture Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky — for which they receive some of the Russian military’s most advanced training.

However, according to a US intelligence assessment, Russian commanders eager to "seize the momentum" ordered elite troops to engage in direct combat at the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

The depletion of Russian Spetsnaz changed the dynamics of the war from the very beginning, limiting the Kremlin's ability to carry out covert operations.

US intelligence believes that the staggering losses suffered by these units will make them less effective in Ukraine and other parts of the world where Russian troops operate.

The units are also deteriorating due to a lack of experience. According to US documents, special forces require at least four years of specialised training, so it could take Moscow decades to reconstitute these units.

The documents do not specify the number of special forces personnel killed or wounded in Ukraine. Still, they cite intelligence intercepts as saying that only the 346th unit alone "lost nearly the entire brigade with only 125 personnel active out of 900 deployed".

Intelligence analysts have reportedly tracked down every special forces unit that has returned from Ukraine to Russia’s south, except the 25th Regiment. There is presumably no data on their return due to the huge personnel losses, as intelligence suggested.

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