The Russian army experienced a personnel shortage immediately after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, so the Russian Ministry of Defense is constantly trying to increase the number of contractors. After all, due to high-profile scandals inside the Russian Federation, they have allegedly decided not to send conscripts to the war in Ukraine.

As of now, the Russian Federation can involve up to 350,000 more troops in hostilities in Ukraine.

This was stated by the official of the Main Intelligence Office of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, Vadym Skibitskyi on the air of “Military Television of Ukraine”.

The structure of the Russian armed forces takes after the Soviet principles of stuffing.

In terms of numbers, support units dominate combat units.

“In the Russian army, many units only carry out the protection and defense of objects both on the territory of Russia and outside its borders.

Moreover, the Russian Federation has a powerful contingent in Syria. Russia disposes of an extensive network of military bases on the territory of the former Soviet Union, including Armenia and Tajikistan, a contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh, a contingent in Kazakhstan. Thus, if you put it all together, it turns out to be 300-350 thousand people Russia can use in the war against Ukraine,” said the official of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.

According to Vadym Skibitskyi, the shortage of personnel in the Russian army occurred immediately after the numerous human losses the occupiers had suffered from the first days of the full-scale war.

He also noted that in March-April, the Russian authorities agreed upon involving only those servicemen who signed contracts with the armed forces of the Russian Federation in combat operations.

Due to a significant increase in the number of dead and wounded invaders, the aggressor countries have reduced the number of people willing to enter into a contract for military service.

As previously reported, Russia deploys the newly formed “3rd Army Corps” to the front.

In the last days of August, photos and videos of the transportation of Russian military equipment of the 3rd Army Corps by rail have been announced. An echelon with weapons was spotted at the Neklinovka railway station of the Rostov region near the border with the Donetsk region of Ukraine.