The latest statements highlighting personnel shortages follow statements by both Russian and Ukrainian officials highlighting extreme casualty rates suffered by Ukrainian forces in 2023. Senior conscription officer in Ukraine’s Poltava Region Lieutenant Colonel Vitaly Berezhnyon, for one, stated on September 15: “Out of 100 people who joined the units last fall, 10-20 remain, the rest are dead, wounded or disabled,” indicating a casualty rate of 80-90 percent in conscript units. An unnamed commander of a battalion in a mechanised brigade informed the Washington Post his unit had been cut down by 80 percent, and was reduced to a strength of under 40 infantrymen down from 200. Another battalion commander, identifying as Alexander, said his infantry companies were staffed at about 35 percent, with his colleague from an assault brigade stating this situation was “typical” for combat units.
