More and more older soldiers are fighting for Russia at the front in the Ukrainian war.imago images
Anna Von Stefenelli /
The war in Ukraine has been going on for well over two years. A grueling conflict for both Russia and Ukraine. Intense fighting has been raging since the beginning of October, particularly in the areas around Lyman, Pokrovsk and Kurachowe in the east of the country.
In addition, heavy fighting continues in the Kherson area in the south. Russian attacks on Ukrainian positions in the Kharkiv region and along the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line also continue.
Meanwhile, Russia is struggling with heavy losses and increasing pressure on its armed forces. Both Kiev and Moscow are struggling to fill the ranks of the army at the front.
The Russian army is increasingly relying on older soldiers, as a recent report shows. Frontline soldiers report a rapid increase in the number of so-called “grandpas” at the front. These older recruits therefore have problems withstanding the physical demands of combat at the front.
Ukraine War: More and more “grandpas” for Russia at the front
According to the Russian independent online platform “Verstka”, there are two main problems for Russia on the front line: a shortage of ammunition and the increasing number of so-called “grandpas” – a term that soldiers use for contract fighters over 50 years old.
An MP who regularly visits the front confirmed these observations: “The average age of soldiers has definitely increased”the platform quotes him as saying. And a soldier from the Kharkiv region said: “50 percent (editor’s note: the soldiers) in our sector are old men, and they are being mowed down in rows.”
According to a soldier, a similar picture emerges from the fighting in the occupied Donetsk region: “Since the summer we have lost about half of our people at Chasiv Yar – either killed or wounded. Half of the reinforcements that are sent are over 50, some are even older. Some don’t even make it to their positions.”
Ukraine War: Older soldiers at the front less effective?
According to Verstka, an official confirmed that in recent months around half of the volunteers in Moscow were over 45 years old. However, this is not a problem for him: “So what? They are fit, are fathers and have experience. You surpass every young man.”
However, according to the report, the soldiers at the front see it differently. Many of the older men could not withstand the physical strain; they had problems with the heavy equipment and often had health problems. “They’re all sick,” said a soldier. And: “Their legs hurt, their heads hurt, and they’re slow.”
Pavel Aksenow, military expert at the BBC, explained according to Meduza that younger soldiers have an advantage in war: “It is much easier for a young person to grab a mortar and run a few meters with it.”
Especially in war, where everything – from armor to ammunition – is heavy, you need soldiers who can handle this load quickly. Older men are less effective here due to their physical limitations.
Younger soldiers endure physical stress more easily. (symbol image)
Russia: Number of dead over 55 years old is increasing rapidly
The increased number of older soldiers is also confirmed by data from “Mediazona” and the “BBC”. According to the journalists, 2,475 Russian contract fighters over the age of 45 have died in Ukraine this year alone, almost half of the identified deaths.
This means an increase of 18 percent compared to the whole of 2023 and three times compared to 2022.
The number of those over 55 years old who died is also increasing rapidly. This year, 597 deaths have already been recorded in this age group, 50 percent more than in 2023 and four times as many as in 2022. The oldest confirmed casualty was 72-year-old Mikhail Shuvalov, who died in 2022.
“Mediazona” points out that the list of deaths is still incomplete and could continue to grow in the coming months.
Russia has raised the age limit for military and contract service
According to Meduza, the increase in older contract fighters could be related to financial incentives and the difficult economic conditions in some regions of Russia. The men hope that military service will provide them with financial security, especially for their own families.
Since the beginning of the war, the Russian government has repeatedly taken measures to increase the age limit for military and contract service. In the summer of 2023, the maximum age for military service was raised from 27 to 30 years. In addition, the age limits for reservists were increased by five years. The age limit for contract services was also raised last year – from 65 to 70 years.
Related News :