Russian forces currently have sufficient personnel and equipment in the Zaporizhzhia sector, although there are no signs of significant reinforcements, according to Anastasiia Shevchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Southern Group of Forces. At the same time, 69% of Russian military personnel operating in the sector have criminal records, she said.
“Russian forces currently have sufficient personnel and equipment in the Zaporizhzhia sector. At the same time, there are no signs of significant personnel reinforcements,” Shevchenko said.
According to Shevchenko, the largest share of Russian personnel in this sector — 36% — are aged between 31 and 40. Another 31% are aged 21–30, 24% are between 41 and 50, and 9% are aged 18–20.
“It is also worth noting that 69% of Russian personnel have criminal records,” the spokesperson added.
According to Shevchenko, an analysis of recruitment motivations shows that 31% of Russian service members joined the military to avoid criminal prosecution, while 26% are serving under contract.
Another 24% joined for financial reasons, while 13% entered military service after being called up during mobilisation. The remaining 6% were motivated by other factors that Ukrainian intelligence did not specify.
