These defeats have begun to raise questions about the future of Russian military forces in the region following the eviction of French and US forces, replaced by Russian mercenaries whose massacres fuel rebel anger and desire for revenge.
“Drones were firing at everyone passing by on the road,” Sultan told CNN. “Three people were shot right in front of me. My brother and I tried to help the injured get to the hospitals, but a little girl was shot in the neck, and her father was also injured.”
One Russian Air Force officer based in southern Ukraine’s Kherson region said that 40% of those in his unit who had voluntarily enlisted to serve were “over 50 years old” and that “three quarters of the new ones are even older”.