Russia’s War Effort in Ukraine: Now on Crutches
The Russian leadership is exchanging men—many of them previous casualties discharged prematurely from military hospitals—for land.
The Russian military is making tactical progress in Ukraine. But its gains are coming with a heavy cost. Every day, the Russian forces lose thousands of troops killed and wounded in the fighting.
Although the Kremlin has managed to recruit or push into service enough men to make up for its losses, the quality of its troops has seemingly been sacrificed in favor of raw numbers. Multiple reports allege that wounded Russian troops are being forced back to the front—even on crutches.
A Strategy on Crutches
“It is highly likely injured Russian personnel are being returned to combat duties in Ukraine with unhealed wounds, often on crutches,” the British Ministry of Defence assessed in a recent operational update on the conflict in Ukraine.
According to data released by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence—whose data is usually corroborated by Western sources—the Russian forces have lost, on average, 1,500 troops killed or wounded every day.
“Open source reporting suggests Russia’s 20th Combined Armed Army has formed assault groups made up of walking wounded and directed them into combat,” the British Ministry of Defence added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered an attritional strategy in Ukraine. The approach is quite simple. Russia has more men than Ukraine. Throughout the war, the Russian leadership has shown little regard for the lives of its troops—many of whom come from provincial areas of Russia and are not regarded as ethnically “Russian.” And Russia wants Ukrainian territory. So the Russian military leadership is exchanging men for land.
“There is a realistic possibility Russian commanders are directing this activity to retain personnel who would otherwise become lost in the overburdened medical system,” the Ministry of Defence assessed.
Russian Casualties Are Piling Up
According to the latest data released by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, the Russian military, paramilitary units, and pro-Russian separatist forces have lost approximately 843,000 troops in the fighting.
The majority of these casualties took place in 2024, the year in which Putin started his attritional strategy. Indeed, the Russian forces lost approximately half of their total casualties, around 400,000, last year alone. And the first month of 2025 continues on the same path. Most of these casualties are wounded, not killed. Although exact numbers are elusive, likely 250,000 of last year’s casualties were wounded—some of whom would be able to fight again.
“The injured soldiers have likely been returned to their units after being discharged from forward medical facilities, prematurely, at the behest of their commanders. This reduces the pressure on the overburdened military medical system and increases the unit’s ability to track and use wounded servicemen for operational tasks. The lack of proper medical attention in facilities away from the frontline necessitates the transfer of the administrative and medical burden back to troops’ units,” the Ministry of Defence concluded.
And these troops are then left to the tactical judgment of their officers, who are often under extreme pressure to achieve results. So wounded Russian soldiers on crutches are sent back to the frontlines in an attempt to achieve tactical gains that would reflect well on their commanders—and ultimately serve Putin’s aims of conquest.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Shutterstock.