Russia Deploying Strategic Nuclear Forces as Regular Infantry in Ukraine

Moscow is deploying soldiers from its Strategic Missile Forces, who typically specialize in the operation of nuclear weaponry, to Ukraine.

The deployment comes as Russia faces dwindling troops in its offensive against its neighbor. The soldiers are expected to serve as infantry in Russia’s invasion, according to Militarnyi, a Ukrainian media outlet that covers the military.

The units were formed in late summer this year and deployed to combat, the outlet reported. The report added that the units likely did not involve specialists directly responsible for the use of nuclear weaponry, but support personnel.

Citing a Russian activist group that outfitted the newly formed unit with equipment for the war, Militarnyi reported that the unit was given civilian Chinese radio stations, as it had not been provided with necessary means of communication.

Russia’s deployment of members of its Strategic Missile Forces to bolster its war efforts comes amid reports, citing data from Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, of heavy single-day losses.

“Both Russia and Ukraine have been facing serious problems with personnel numbers,” William Freer, a research fellow in national security at the Council on Geostrategy think tank, previously told Newsweek.

“After the supply of ammunition, replacing casualties is the second most important aspect for both sides in winning a war of attrition,” Freer said.

Newsweek has contacted the Russian and Ukrainian Defense Ministries for comment via email.

Ukrainian officials reported early on Wednesday that Russian forces lost 1,460 troops in the space of 24 hours, which would bring Moscow’s total losses of military personnel since February 2022 to 683,040.

But Russia does not routinely publicize its military losses, and analysts are skeptical of reports from either side of the conflict. Moscow does, however, regularly report that more than 1,000 Ukrainian fighters are killed or injured each day.

Vladimir Grubnik, an officer in an army for the Donetsk People’s Republic and organizer of one of the biggest volunteer funds in support of the breakaway republic, has indicated that the Strategic Missile Forces are active in Kursk—a Russian border territory into which Kyiv launched a surprise counteroffensive in August, marking the first time foreign troops had seized Russian territory since World War II.

In August, Newsweek reported that Russia had deployed “space troops”—a regiment of its Aerospace Forces—to defend the Kursk region amid its personnel shortage. This unit, created between May and June, consisted of personnel from security and logistics companies, engineers, mechanics, officers and service members from a Russian spaceport.

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