Ukraine intel reveals: 462,000 Russian soldiers on occupied lands, facing major ammunition crisis
"Furthermore, around 35,000 personnel from the Rosguard (Russian National Guard) are stationed in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian lands, maintaining security for the occupation regime," Skibitsky revealed in an interview with the Ukrainian Pravda website.
Skibitsky highlighted that such a large number of troops allowed the Russians to rotate their forces, replacing units unfit for battle with fresh ones from the rear line.
He further noted that despite the Russian military industry's capability to produce 2 million projectiles annually, it struggled to provide adequate ammunition for the war in Ukraine last year. The shortfall was an alarming half a million rounds.
Russia faces shortage of 500,000 rounds of ammunition
"As a result, the Russians initially sought ammunition from Belarus before turning to Iran and North Korea. We have knowledge about the routes used for transportation, the storage locations, and how the ammunition eventually reaches the front line," he explained.
Despite Russia's plans to ramp up its ammunition production this year, it is hindered by a lack of components, skilled workers, and production facilities.
"We estimate that Russia will continue grappling with a deficit of around 500,000 rounds of ammunition and will attempt to source it from elsewhere," added Skibitsky.
