Ukraine: Many Russian soldiers will die due to lack of training and morale, expert says

Many Russian conscripts will die fighting in Ukraine due to a lack of training, support and morale, a former British General has told Forces News.

General Sir Richard Barrons, who headed Joint Forces Command for three years until 2016, told Forces News that Russia's conscript army will pay a high price for Putin's war.

"We should absolutely recognise that there are young Russians, in their early 20s, who are being pitched into a war which they don't really understand, don't support, are not equipped for, not trained for and many of them will go home to their families in a body bag," he said.  

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"That is President Putin's legacy to his country, and all the Ukrainians can keep doing is trying to speed this war up and bring it to an end successfully."

His comments come after Russia's recent drone strikes on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and Mykolaiv, which he said were intended to dent Ukraine's morale.

Watch: UK sending world's most advanced air defence missile to support Ukraine.

"These attacks are not about territory, these attacks are about trying to deplete the will of the Ukrainian people to keep fighting and the fact is there is no sign of that happening," General Sir Richard said.

He added that as winter looms, the war in Ukraine is entering a new phase that will make a number of aspects more difficult.

Shorter daylight hours will make using equipment, such as 'mini-drones', harder, as well as make the movement of vehicles more difficult, and the colder weather will make living tough.

"The winners in that setting are the ones that have the stronger morale – that is clearly Ukraine," Gen Sir Richard added.