A Shortage Of Armys For War In Ukraine, The Pentagon Calls Russia The Elderly Volunteers To Prisoners

JAKARTA - Senior United States Ministry of Defense (Pentagon) officials say Russia is struggling to increase the number of their troops in Ukraine, including by recruiting detainees to personnel who are older, less trained and in bad condition.

The official pointed to Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision last Thursday to increase the country's troop numbers by about 10 percent to 1.15 million soldiers from January next year.

After a significant setback and losing a large troop six months after invading Ukraine, the Pentagon believes "this is impossible, because Russia has historically failed to meet the targets of personnel and power", the official said.

"Russia has begun to try to expand recruitment efforts," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

"They have done this in part by eliminating the upper age limit for new members and also by recruiting prisoners."

"Many of these new recruits have been observed as older, unfit and untrained," the official said.

The Pentagon's conclusion is that any added recruits may not effectively expand overall combat power by the end of the year, the official said.

Even before the war, the Russian armed forces may lack 150,000 of the target they claim is one million, the official said.

US Deputy Secretary of Defense Colin Kahl estimates that in early August, some 70,000 to 80,000 Russians have been killed or injured in Ukraine since the invasion began on February 24.