Russian casualties mark an acceleration even when compared with first days of the war, says White House national security council spokesperson John Kirby
White House national security council spokesperson John Kirby did not detail how the US calculated Russia’s losses, but said about half of those who died were fighting under the Wagner mercenary group, rather than with the Russian military. They were being sent into battle without proper training or leadership, he added.
Founded by a close Putin aide, the group has recruited heavily in prisons, offering convicts who survive six months on the bloody frontlines an amnesty. The US figures underline what a deadly gamble those who accept are making.
