'Such corruption': Ukraine grapples with 'inexperienced troops' as war with Russia persists

07 June 2023

Ukraine is facing a "shortage of men left to fight" in the war against Russia, The Daily Beast reports.

The news outlet spoke with a Ukrainian woman — who is the wife of a Ukrainian soldier — about her "frustration" with the country's military's new reliance on "conscription," as well as with country's change in "values and principles."

The woman said, "We say we're fighting for democracy and European values… I just hate to see such corruption in Ukraine again and how people easily commit a felony knowing they won't be punished."

The Daily Beast reports:

At the beginning of the war, a patriotic fervor overran Ukraine, with men and women volunteering in the tens of thousands. The borders with Poland and Moldova were thronged not just with refugees leaving the country, but with Ukrainians flocking back to take up arms to defend their country.

Now, it is a different story. A year of grueling attrition warfare has been described as 'hell on earth' by at least four soldiers who spoke with The Daily Beast this year, stripping much of the glamor away from combat service.

According to The Daily Beast, "Many of Ukraine's most experienced brigades have suffered grievously—their ranks worn down by the brutal fighting in Kharkiv, Kherson, and, most infamously, Bakhmut."

Furthermore, The Daily Beast notes:

In an interview with The Washington Post this spring, a Ukrainian lieutenant colonel complained that he was now leading a unit composed 'entirely of inexperienced troops,' some of whom would not fire their guns because they were 'afraid of the sound of the shot.'

On the other hand, Russian continues to face challenges as well.

Per New York Post, Russia's Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an interview earlier this week, he's "afraid" Russian military forces "might get the vile idea of throwing a small nuclear bomb on their own territory."

However, New York Post notes the mercenary chief "has gained notoriety for launching scathing attacks at Russia's top military leaders over their handling of the war," noting in the interview, "It's a big question whether the [nuclear weapon] would even function properly, seeing how they maintain the rest [of their equipment]."

The Daily Beast's full report is available at this link (subscription required). New York Post's report is here.

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