Elite Russian brigades suffer "devastating losses" in Ukraine – The National Interest

Russia's elite special forces units suffered "devastating losses" in Ukraine, particularly during Ukraine's 2022 counteroffensive, as reported by The National Interest, citing leaked Pentagon data and a U.S. Air Force report.

Secret documents leaked in April 2023 by a U.S. Air National Guard pilot included Pentagon assessments of the war's progression and information on Russian special forces units. These reports indicate that Russian special forces were engaged in all key battles, including Mariupol, Kherson, Lyman, Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Donetsk.

According to the Pentagon, four of the five special forces brigades sustained significant losses by late summer 2022. The Defense Intelligence Agency estimates that one brigade was reduced to 125 soldiers from an initial 900. Units losing 90% of personnel are considered ineffective and have been withdrawn from the battlefield.

During Ukraine's counteroffensive, the Third Guards Spetsnaz Operations Brigade was reportedly caught off guard, suffering a 75% casualty rate while defending Lyman.

The Pentagon estimates it could take Russia up to a decade to restore its special forces to pre-war levels.