Russian troops are “facing a mental health crisis” with around 100,000 individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the latest UK intelligence.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has claimed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Russian psychologists identified a serious issue among the armed forces back in December last year, less than a year into the Ukraine war.
In its update released on Wednesday, the MoD speculated: “This number is almost certainly now higher as the Russian military fails to provide sufficient rotation and recuperation from the battlefield.”
More than 18 months into a war which Moscow expected to be relatively quick, Russia controls less than a fifth of Ukrainian land.
The frontline remains static due to the strength of Kyiv’s defence, and morale among Russian troops has been reportedly waning for some time.
The deputy chief of the defence intelligence of Ukraine, Vadym Skibitskyi, claimed that Russia has amassed more than 420,000 troops in temporarily occupied territories and on the Crimean Peninsula in September.
It’s not clear how Skibitskyi came about this figure, but – if accurate – would suggest at least a quarter of these troops are struggling with PTSD right now.
The MoD said multiple commanders reportedly raised worries about overstretching troops earlier this year, including General Major Ivan Popov. He was relieved of his duties in July.
The MoD added: “There are additional indications that doctors in Russia are sending military personnel who are unfit to the front.
“Appeal claims against Russian military medical commissions are higher in 2023 than they were in 2022, with many cases denied or claims abandoned.”
