Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Ukraine war: Pentagon leaks reveal Russian infighting over death toll

Ukraine war: Pentagon leaks reveal Russian infighting over death toll

Leaked US documents have revealed that disagreements in Russia's security apparatus led to the defence ministry being accused of undercounting casualties of the war in Ukraine.
Russia has said very little publicly about the scale of its war deaths.

But the files show the FSB security service claimed officials were not counting deaths of the Russian National Guard, Wagner mercenaries and others.

Russia has already warned the leaks may be fake, deliberately dumped by the US.

However, the detail corroborates what was already widely known: that Russia's military and security groups have had frequent disagreements about the handling of the war in Ukraine and that Russia has avoided publicising the numbers of dead and wounded.

The FSB's reported calculation of almost 110,000 casualties by February is still far lower than numbers this week in previously leaked US documents, which estimated Russian losses at between 189,500 and 223,000 casualties, with 35,500-43,000 men killed in action.

Russia's most recent official figure dates back to September last year, when the deaths of 5,937 servicemen were confirmed.

The same document says under-reporting of casualties within the system highlights the military's "continuing reluctance" to convey bad news up the chain of command.

Commentators have often suggested that President Vladimir Putin has been shielded from the extent of Russia's losses on the battlefield.

Another leaked document labelled top secret refers to an "information war" between the defence ministry and Wagner's mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin in February.

Prigozhin repeatedly accused the military of halting ammunition supplies as his men fought to capture Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.

The leak quotes ministry officials suggesting that they find "allies of equal status to fight Prigozhin rather than doing so itself".

Tellingly, the assessment in the leak asserts that significant losses suffered by Russia's National Guard, or Rosgvardia, will "probably hinder Moscow's attempts to fully secure all of its annexed territories".

Rosgvardia troops have taken part in combat and helped organise Russia's rigged referendums that led to Mr Putin annexing four Ukrainian regions last September.

Little is known about the identity of the leaker, but the Washington Post has reported that he is a gun enthusiast in his 20s who worked on a US military base.

According to the Post, the leaker transcribed and then typed up the content of classified documents he had seen on the base, and then posted photos of the documents themselves.

Among the pages of photographed documents, one shows a US assessment of Russia's "grinding campaign of attrition" in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. It says barring an "unforeseen recovery" by Russian forces, Ukraine will be able to frustrate Moscow's war aims "resulting in a protracted war beyond 2023".

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has suggested that the US may have dumped the documents deliberately.

As a "party to the conflict" he argued that Washington may have sought to "mislead the enemy, that is the Russian Federation".

However, another intriguing leak cites Russia's Main Operations Directorate hailing a successful operation in early February aimed at convincing Ukrainian intelligence of a potential joint Russia-Belarusian offensive from Belarus.

As Russia's military campaign in the east stalled in the run-up to the anniversary of the war, there had been reports of a Russian military build-up in Belarus with the aim of reviving its failed invasion from Belarusian territory the year before.

Kyiv was forced to move troops to defend the area from possible attack, diverting them from the front lines in the east and south.

The leaked document cites a Directorate official recommending two more phases of activity in March "to further mislead Ukrainian forces". The leak makes clear the plans were being sent to Belarus's military chief for approval.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×