Foreign mercenaries now account for up to 30 percent of Russian forces operating on the Lyman front in eastern Ukraine, a Ukrainian military spokesperson said.
Vasyl Denysiuk, spokesperson for Ukraine's 66th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Prince Mstislav the Brave, disclosed the figure during a live appearance on the television broadcast Suspilne Studia. He said Russian forces are continuously reinforcing the sector by moving in additional assault units, drone operators and foreign fighters.
Denysiuk said foreign recruits originate from countries in Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia, and their numbers on the frontline are steadily rising. Whenever Russian commanders deploy a fresh company into the brigade's area of responsibility, at least one full platoon within that company consists entirely of foreign fighters.
According to Denysiuk, many of the foreign troops are lured into the Russian military through deception. He said they are sent onto combat missions almost immediately with virtually no prior training, leading to an extremely low level of combat preparation among the units.
Russian assault tactics and drone expansion
Denysiuk explained that Russian commanders are attempting to accumulate personnel at the front line to compensate for heavy losses sustained in previous attacks. Russian troops are searching for vulnerable sectors along the entire frontline in the Lyman area, attempting to achieve local breakthroughs and build upon them.
In addition to ground operations, Russian forces are expanding their unmanned aerial system crews. Denysiuk said the Russian military is increasing its drone capabilities to strike Ukrainian positions and target key supply routes.
Despite the influx of troops and equipment, Ukrainian Defence Forces are inflicting significant casualties on the occupying troops. Denysiuk noted that Ukrainian strikes are preventing Russian forces from gathering the necessary resources to launch a broader offensive.
Surrenders and international recruitment
Because many foreign recruits are sent into combat without adequate preparation, cases of foreign soldiers surrendering to Ukrainian forces are on the rise, Denysiuk added.
The report follows earlier statements by Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. Lubinets stated that Ukrainian troops have captured citizens from 51 different countries whom Russia had recruited into its army to fight against Ukraine.
Lyman, a city in the northern Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, serves as a crucial rail junction and strategic defensive sector. The 66th Separate Mechanized Brigade is one of the main Ukrainian Ground Forces formations tasked with holding the frontline in the area, while Suspilne Studia is the national news program operated by Ukraine's public broadcaster Suspilne.
