According to intelligence information, Russia is now using the Wagner mercenary group in Ukraine at the front. The British Ministry of Defense announced that it would strengthen the armed forces and compensate for losses. However, in the most recent battles in the eastern region of Luhansk, the group itself suffered heavy losses. To compensate for this, the military company has now lowered its recruiting standards.
The mercenary is now also hiring convicted criminals and people previously banned from the job, the UK ministry said, citing intelligence findings. New recruits receive very limited training.
Its value in support of the regular Russian military is likely to be diminished, the Defense Ministry in London said. “At a time when a number of senior Russian military commanders are being replaced, this is likely to increase resentment between the army and Wagner,” it said. So this should also have a negative effect on the morale of the Russian soldiers.
Russia has long-range weapons in its sights
The invaders say they are focusing on destroying Ukrainian long-range weapons and artillery. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has ordered commanders to make this a priority, his ministry said. Ukraine had previously reported that it has recently used weapons supplied from the West in successful attacks on Russian supply lines.
Moscow, on the other hand, accused the Ukrainian military of attacking residential areas in the Russian-controlled Donbass areas. Ukraine also deliberately set fire to grain fields and grain elevators, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Air raid on residential area
Conversely, the Russians are said to have killed again civilians: Six people have been killed by Russian fire in the city of Torezk in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, according to the state emergency service. The agency announced that five bodies had been recovered from the rubble of a two-storey house. Another person succumbed to his injuries in hospital. Russia has repeatedly said it would not deliberately target civilians.
According to the latest information from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russia has deployed more than 3,000 cruise missiles so far. There were also numerous artillery attacks. Russian troops are gaining ground, especially in the Donbass.
The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian attacks had been repulsed in several places in the Donetsk region. Near Horliwka, fighting is currently taking place between the cities of Luhansk and Donetsk. Ukrainian sources say there were at least 10 explosions overnight in the disputed city of Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine. Information about the victims was initially not available.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
