Story perspectives
Russia Faces Crisis: Million Casualties, Foreign Fighters Needed
10/9/2025
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Story summary
- Russia's military has suffered a million casualties since February 2022, including 250,000 killed.
- Recruitment intensified, with sign-on bonuses and salaries nearly double the national average.
- Demographic deterioration includes a declining birth rate and rising male mortality.
- Emigration of educated young adults has exacerbated labor shortages, impacting the economy.
- Russia is increasingly relying on foreign fighters from Cuba and North Korea.
