The Russian military had lost 62,400 soldiers in Kursk Oblast since the start of the Ukrainian army’s operation there last year, Ukraine’s General Staff said on April 26.
Of this number, 25,200 were “irreversible” losses and 36,200 were injuries, according to the statement.
“Another 983 soldiers of the (Russian) army were taken prisoner. As a result, exchanges took place, which allowed hundreds of our soldiers to return home from Russian captivity,” the General Staff said.
The statement comes as Russian authorities claimed earlier that day to have fully recaptured the territory of Kursk Oblast and confirmed the participation of North Korean troops in the campaign.
Man watching that in real time was crazy. Putin left Moscow ahead of their arrival. But realizing they were undermanned, it sounds like Putin gave him the opportunity to disperse Wagner to various other theaters to remove their threat. I believe Africa was a big one, some were absorbed by Belarus. I’m sure a lot were given the choice to immediately return to the front lines with what they had on them or face execution.
Regardless, The Chef must have known if he backed down, he was dead.
I’m not exactly sure why he agreed on a flight out of Russia, maybe he thought it was safer because of the size of collateral damage? And as well all know Putin gives 0 fucks about that, and we also know the way his enemies die is always a message. An anti-aircraft missile against an attempted coup leader was loud, big, and obviously intentional. He told all the other “would be coup attempts” that it’s not going to be polonium tea, or novichok, or defenestration - it’s public execution with innocents if necessary.