Russia has deployed 1,60,000 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, says Ukraine intelligence

Russia has deployed an estimated 1,60,000 troops in Ukraine since start of its so-called special military operation on Feb. 24, Kyiv Independent reported, citing Ukrainian intelligence. Vym Skybytsky, a member of Ukraine's Intelligence Directorate, said figure bars  Russian national guard members who have been tasked by Russian ministry of defence to control  occupied regions. During initial months of invasion, Russia's defense ministry h ackwledged that it lost more than 1,300 soldiers in line of combat. But  US intelligence and UN figures put death toll of Putin's forces between 10,000 to 15,000.

Russia's attempts to boost its Armed Forces 

Russian President Vlimir Putin signed a decree to boost figure of  Armed Forces from 1,37,000 servicemen to 1.5 million (1,150,628) which is being deemed as a move to replace significant losses of combat troops in Ukrainian war. " move comes to establish staff strength of Armed Forces of Russian Federation to 2,039,758 units, including 1,150,628 military personnel," news decree stated, as per news ncy RIA vosti. 

Russian Armed Forces' strength stood at 1,902,758 in accordance with previous decree signed by Putin. As per  document published on Russia's legal information portal, number of Russian troops will rise to 1,150,628. Moscow has also been recruiting Chechen and Syrian volunteers, and show paramilitary forces  Wagner group.

While  invasion entered  sixth month with troop losses on both sides, Putin's decree will come into force on 1 January 2023 that will consolidate Russia's armed forces to ir fifth position in ranks of world's largest armed forces trailing behind China, India, United States and rth Korea. Russia's president's recent decree to boost armed forces figures is aimed at replenishing its military, which has suffered heavy losses. 

CIA director, William Burns, h said last month that re may be an estimated 15,000 Russian servicemen that have died in Ukraine, “and maybe three times that wounded”. Pavel Luzin, a Russian military expert, said Moscow's decree is contrary to "objective reality on ground” and that Putin will struggle to increase number of soldiers, Guardian newspaper reported.