Thread by @georgewbarros

📸New animated map tracking the progress of Russia's ongoing effort to generate "volunteer" units for Russia's war in Ukraine.

This map shows the units @KatStepanenko and I have been tracking for @TheStudyofWar since July.

Some thoughts on this force generation effort below.🧵

The Kremlin is scrambling to find any reinforcements to maintain its prolonged war in Ukraine, but these efforts are unlikely to generate combat ready or cohesive force necessary for the Kremlin’s goal of seizing all of Ukraine.

Russian “volunteer” units are likely deploying piecemeal groups of soldiers to reinforce specific areas, and not deploying in their full organic structures.

understandingwar.org/backgrounder/r…

Russian reservists and members of “volunteer” units are reporting that Russian authorities have failed to deliver on promised benefits and pay.

Russian authorities have reportedly placed recruits with no experience into positions as commanding officers at the company level or higher, failed to provide sufficient food, ammunition, or cigarettes to soldiers, failed to provide for the funeral arrangements of volunteer...

soldiers killed in action, and dumped soldiers in remote locations in Russia without transport home once their contracts expired. Several volunteers who have already returned home from Ukraine stated that they felt “deceived” and treated worse than regular contract soldiers.

VK-based milblogger Vasily Petrovich described regionally formed volunteer units as the best way to ”get into a hospital bed or into the grave,” as these units do not have financial support outside of what is provided by their unnamed sponsors.

understandingwar.org/backgrounder/r…

Russian federal subjects (regions) continue to announce the formation of new volunteer units, however Russian media is likely misrepresenting the percentage fill of these units.

Russian opposition outlet Mediazona revealed that several federal subjects are misrepresenting their progress toward recruiting volunteers.

zona.media/article/2022/0…