Thread by @oivshina

Russian Ministry of Defence is trying to put a tap on all info about problems of the Russian army in #Ukraine. But dead soldiers keep telling their stories-and that narrative is very different from Moscow is trying to show. Here is what we found. Based on a study of 5700+ cases

BBC's analysis suggests particularly heavy losses among junior officers. Overall, officers constitute 17% of Russian fatalities. But data suggests, that junior officers in particular are 3 times more likely to die than their subordinates.

Reasons: in the Russian army, jn officers have to make important decisions to direct the course of combat. Majority of them are very young – often promoted to lieutenant at the age of 21. With that little experience they have to find out how to achieve the goals set by generals.

In terms of overall losses, infantrymen and paratroopers have been the hardest hit. As of August 18th, 20 per cent of all the identified dead served in the airborne units, and a further 20 per cent in motorised rifle units.

The group with the fastest-growing casualty rate consists of those termed ‘volunteers’ by the Russian officials. More often than not, the category includes men over the age of 40 from regions with a low average salary. They undergo only 3-7 days of training before deployment

Russian officials are increasingly unlikely to publish the deaths of soldiers fighting in #Ukraine. So BBC is continuing to monitor graveyards in different regions of Russia to gain a fuller picture of #russianlosses in #UkraineWar. We have studied 45 graveyards all over Russia

41 of 45 cemeteries had graves of servicemen whose deaths had not been publicly announced. In the last 2weeks alone, we have revealed a further 15 similar burials, including those of 3 officers.

Citizens of other post-Soviet countries are also fighting and dying in Ukraine as soldiers of the Russian army. BBC knows of the deaths of at least 13 natives of Kyrgyzstan, 9 from Tajikistan, 12 from South Ossetia – the breakaway region of Georgia - and at least 1 from Moldova.

Overall, to win a modern conflict, one need well-trained, mobile, motivated attack infantry. And the Russian army has problems in this area, experts say. As a result, paratroopers, marines and Wagner Group mercenaries are called upon to resolve infantry tasks.

First months of war also showed that Russian had huge troubles with communication and logistics.After secure channels were established between headquarters and fighting units,colonels and generals began to make less often trips to the frontline –and consequently died less often.

Further detailed analysis is available in English in our article. Please read and share, if you find it interesting bbcrussian.substack.com/p/lost-battali…