U.S. Intelligence Says Russia's Military Is Suffering Manpower Shortages

Russian military forces in Ukraine 

Reuters: Russia's military suffering manpower shortages -U.S. intelligence 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Russian military is suffering manpower shortages as it battles Ukraine and is seeking to recruit contract service members and may even draw in convicted criminals, a U.S. official said on Wednesday, citing U.S. intelligence. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree last Thursday to increase the size of Russia's armed forces from 1.9 million to 2.04 million as the war in Ukraine enters its seventh month. 

Moscow has not revealed any losses in the conflict since its first weeks, but Western officials and the Kyiv government say they number in the thousands. 

"The Russian military is suffering from severe manpower shortages in Ukraine," the U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the downgraded intelligence.  

Read more ....  

Update #1: Pentagon: Russian military ‘unlikely to succeed’ at recruitment target (The Hill)  

Update #2: U.S. Defense Official: Russia Struggling To Recruit New Soldiers, Turning To Prisons, Older Recruits (RFE)  

WNU Editor: Russia suffering manpower and ammo shortages has been the Western narrative since March. But what we have seen on the ground since March has been the opposite. The fall of Mariupol and the capture of thousands of Ukraine's best fighters in May. The complete capture of Luhansk province in June, and steady progress in Donetz province. And now Russian and separatist military forces are blocking a major Ukraine counter-offensive in the southwest part of the country. If the Russian military was suffering the losses that U.S. intelligence was saying, the Russian offensive would have ended a long time ago and their defense lines would be in a state of collapse..