Elite Russian special forces units suffered devastating losses during invasion of Ukraine, – media

Elite Russian special forces units suffered devastating losses during the invasion of Ukraine, – media Yaroslav Pogonchuk

Russia continues to send thousands of its soldiers to certain death in Ukraine every day. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, elite Russian special forces units have suffered colossal losses.

Channel 24 reports with reference to The National Interest. Journalists say that one of the reasons for the devastating losses among elite special forces units is Russia's desire for an “easy victory”.

What was the role of Russian special forces in Ukraine

Russian elite military units suffered colossal losses during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Their main task was “the elimination of the Ukrainian leadership.”

The publication stated that the Russian military command was striving for an “easy victory” in Ukraine, so it brought in special forces units. For example, at the beginning of the invasion, when Russian paratroopers attacked the Gostomel airport near Kiev, the special forces intended to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky and other high-ranking officials.

How many elite fighters could Russia lose

Since elite forces are difficult to replace on short notice, it could take Moscow up to a decade to restore its special forces to their pre-war potential, which is a critical setback for Russia's strategic special operations capabilities against adversaries, the publication notes.

The journalists noted that the Kremlin deployed special forces whenever Russian occupiers encountered significant resistance. In particular, they participated in battles in Mariupol, Kherson, Liman, Kharkov, Kyiv and Donbas.

According to the Pentagon, four of the five Russian special forces brigades had suffered significant losses by the summer of 2022. One of the special forces brigades had only “125 active troops out of 900 deployed.” Analysts suggest that “a unit that has lost almost 90% of its combat capability is considered ineffective and is withdrawn behind the front lines.”