Russian military forces are increasingly recruiting older volunteers to support the so-called cryptomobilization efforts, according to the daily analysis of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), quoted by News.bg.
On October 9, the opposition Russian newspaper "Verstka" reports that a Russian Air Force source operating in the Kherson area has stated that 40% of recruits and mobilized personnel are over the age of 50, and over 75% of new personnel are also over the age of 50 years. According to data from an unspecified official from Moscow, half of the volunteers from the city are over 45 years old.
Data cited by "Mediazona" indicate that between January and September 2024, 2,475 Russian volunteers over the age of 45 died in the war in Ukraine, which is 18% more than volunteers in the same age group. throughout 2023
US intelligence also noted a significant rise in the number of casualties among Russian forces. According to a senior US defense official, as of October 9, Russian forces had suffered more than 600,000 casualties since the invasion began in February 2022, a significant increase from the previous estimate of 315,000 casualties by December 2023.
On October 9 and 10, Ukrainian forces struck a warehouse for drones "Shaheed" in the Krasnodar Territory and an ammunition depot in the Republic of Adygea. At the same time, Russian forces have struck three civilian ships docked in Ukrainian ports, possibly as part of an increased push to undermine confidence in the Ukrainian grain corridor and Western support for Ukraine.
Despite increased Russian pressure, Ukrainian forces continue to advance, including in the Toretsk region. At the same time, Russian forces are also advancing in the Kursk region, near Chasov Yar, southeast of Pokrovsk and southwest of Donetsk.
On October 8, an Iranian publication linked to the former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Major General Mohsen Rezaei, reported that Russia had provided Iran with an S-400 air defense system and a squadron of Su- 35, although no evidence is provided for this claim.