Russia likely to launch new wave of mobilization soon, says Estonian intelligence
Margo Grosberg (Photo:ICDS Tallinn/www.flickr.com)
Russia is likely to initiate a new mobilization very soon, Estonian news outlet ERR quoted Colonel Margo Grosberg, commander of the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) intelligence center, as saying on June 2.
Russia has lost 40,000 soldiers in nine months during the Battle of Bakhmut alone, he said.
The one-to-one balance of forces on the front is now evident, as Russia has been able to compensate for losses with its September mobilization, but “in order to conduct a successful offensive, they would need three times the advantage on the attacking side,” Grosberg said.
“Taking into consideration all these nuances, there is a very high probability that a similar mobilization wave will be initiated as it was in September,” the official said.
“Such a thing is unquestionably required for the Russian Federation to attain its goals.”
Regarding the situation in Bakhmut, Grosberg said that Wagner Group had begun to withdraw from Bakhmut and transfer it over to the Russian regular army troops.
He also emphasized Russia’s heavy losses in this area.
“During this nine-month battle of Bakhmut, the Russian Federation lost about 40,000 people,” Grosberg said.
“These are permanent casualties: dead, missing, or critically wounded.”
Russia announced its first mobilization on Sept. 21, 2022, after defeats and retreat from Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv oblasts. The plan provided for the recruitment of 300,000 people.
Russia’s prepared mobilization resource was up to two million people, out of a pool of about 29 million potential recruits, said Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Serhiy Nayev, on Oct. 15, 2022.
Russia plans to recruit another 400,000 contract soldiers after its offensive failed in Ukraine, reported Bloomberg on March 23, 2023.
Russia’s occupying army is believed to have suffered huge losses approaching 209,000 people.
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