Russian infantry better equipped, but military equipment quality declined, Ukraine's Budanov says
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Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Russian infantrymen have been better equipped, but the quality of their materiel has deteriorated, chief of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) Kyrylo Budanov said in an interview with the BBC on April 22.
War is always an "insane" development, he added.
"In any country in the world, war has always led to technological, industrial, and other developments," the spymaster said.
“Despite the fact that it is a huge expense and destruction, it is always development. It is happening to them, it is happening to us, and we need to understand this.”
Read also: Ukraine downed Russian Tu-22 bomber with makeshift anti-air systems — Budanov
Budanov noted that in early 2022, no one would have thought that "tens of thousands of drones" would be operating at the front.
The equipment of Russian infantrymen has improved since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. However, the quality of Russian equipment has deteriorated, said the spy chief.
"There is little new equipment, there is not enough," Budanov said.
“It's all repaired, restored equipment from long-term weapons storage warehouses. There is no point in talking about quality there, and there is no need for quality there.”
The HUR chief also commented on the quality of the Russian army's personnel, noting that those who took part in the war in 2022 were "true professionals, contractors with normal combat experience," but since then, there are almost none of them left.
The aggressor state is currently fighting with conscripted soldiers, Budanov added.
New mobilization wave in Russia
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced plans to increase the number of troops to 1.5 million soldiers on Dec. 19, 2023.
By the end of the year, it is planned to increase the number of contract service members to 745,000 people.
Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk, said on March 18 that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin would hold a new wave of mobilization after the sham elections and intensify attacks at the front. The HUR also believes that after the presidential "elections" in Russia, conscription may be more openly conducted.
The Southern Defense Forces are confident that Russia will intensify conscription in the temporarily occupied territories after collecting information about people during the pseudo-elections.
British intelligence reported on March 30 that Russia conscripts about 30,000 new soldiers every month for the war against Ukraine.
Read also: HUR reveals Russian losses in occupied Dzhankoy following successful strike
Moscow announced another spring conscription on April 1, which for the first time, will be held under new rules regarding the age of conscripts – from 18 to 30 years. By July 15, it is planned to recruit 150,000 conscripts for service. Analysts at the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War believe that this process may be connected with covert conscription in Russia.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on April 3, 2024, that Russia was preparing to start an additional conscription of 300,000 people by June 1, 2024.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
