The Bunker – News without the nonsense The draft and the furious – Is Russia running out of soldiers?
Oct 8, 2025
In this thought-provoking discussion, Natasha Lindstaedt, a Professor of Government at the University of Essex specializing in Russian politics, sheds light on Russia's military struggles. She reveals how high casualty rates and recruitment challenges affect troop levels, especially in poorer regions. The conversation dives into the experiences of conscripted soldiers, the impact of stalled frontlines, and the shift towards drone warfare. Natasha also explores the implications for Putin's regime and the potential for political change in Russia amidst the ongoing war.
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Unprecedented Russian Casualties
- Russia faces unprecedented battlefield losses, with estimates around 250,000 deaths and one million casualties.
- Natasha Lindstaedt says heavy losses and poor recruitment reflect a dysfunctional military and terrible troop treatment.
Recruitment Shift To Peripheries
- Recruitment avoids major urban centres like Moscow and St. Petersburg to reduce political backlash.
- Lindstaedt explains Russia relies on poorer, peripheral regions and non-ethnic-Russian republics for conscripts.
Quantity Over Quality Strategy
- Conscripts often lack training and are sent to the front, reflecting a 'quantity over quality' approach.
- Lindstaedt links this to huge Russian casualties despite expectations of military superiority.