Some 150 military units from across all branches of Russia’s Armed Forces have been deployed in the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine, investigative outlet Proekt reported Monday.
The large-scale nature of the invasion undermines Kremlin claims that Russia is merely conducting a “special operation” in Ukraine aimed at “denazifying and demilitarizing” the country.
Those deployed include 11 infantry and one tank division from Russia’s Ground Forces; all units from within its Airborne Forces, including paratroopers; Navy marines and fighter, assault and bomber regiments from its Aerospace Forces. Six reconnaissance brigades from the General Staff of the Armed Forces and units from the National Guard are also on the ground.
Proekt compiled its report using open-source material — including media reports, social media posts and interviews with captured service members — before verifying the data with other sources.
The outlet also identified 166 top commanders depolyed alongside the invading forces, including generals, admirals, colonels, lieutenant colonels and others.
Reporters found that Russia’s brigade, division and army commanders in Ukraine were generally aged between 40 and 50 years old.
Meanwhile, district commanders are 55 years old on average, while military branch commanders are 60 years old, according to Proekt’s data.
Of those men, 20 of those officers were either born in Ukraine or studied there, Proekt said.
“These people are the pick of the modern Russian army: men [who are] at the peak of their strength, experienced and relatively well educated,” Proekt wrote.
But these top commanders have also fallen victim to abnormally high casualty rates on the frontline. Twenty of the 166 officers deployed to Ukraine have been killed so far.
Meanwhile, every third officer was found to have outstanding debts, including housing and utility bills and alimony payments, Proekt said.
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