Putin says Russia to use Middle East volunteer fighters

[luv2fly]

Putin says Russia to use Middle East volunteer fighters
By Guy Faulconbridge
LONDON, March 11

Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the green light on Friday for up to 16,000 volunteers from the Middle East to be deployed alongside Russian-backed rebels to fight in Ukraine, doubling down an invasion that the West says has been losing momentum.

The move, just over two weeks since Putin ordered the invasion, allows Russia to deploy battle-hardened mercenaries from conflicts such as Syria without risking additional Russian military casualties. read more

At a meeting of Russia's Security Council, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said there were 16,000 volunteers in the Middle East who were ready to come to fight alongside Russian-backed forces in the breakaway Donbass region of eastern Ukraine.

"If you see that there are these people who want of their own accord, not for money, to come to help the people living in Donbass, then we need to give them what they want and help them get to the conflict zone," Putin said from the Kremlin.

More at

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-says-volunteers-welcome-help-fight-against-ukrainian-forces-2022-03-11/

[no_hypocrisy]

1. I dunno. No $, no show IMO.

Last edited Fri Mar 11, 2022, 01:58 PM - Edit history (1)

Guessing Putin needs more cannon fodder.

[PatSeg]

21. Yeah, I'm not buying it

[mucifer]

2. The Russians are only using 5% of their military. I don't understand this. So above my head

[edhopper]

3. Easier for Putin to shrug off

dead mercenaries than dead Russian soldiers.

Also easier to dismiss atrocities as done by those "Muslim fighters"

[VMA131Marine]

10. Russia has an active military force of 900,000

That includes the Air Force and Navy. Yes, there are 2-3 million reserves but those are mainly people who served out their one year conscription and would need extensive retraining. When you factor in an army needs 3-4 people to support one soldier in the field it becomes clear that the majority of Russia’s combat forces have already been deployed in Ukraine.
Putin is leaving Russia’s defenses dangerously thin in other regions.

[samsingh]

16. i think russia is using alot of their capability - probably half in the Ukraine

going to these volunteers (so called) is an act of desparation.

[mitch96]

20. Why kill your own people when you can get others to fight for you and die instead...

Syrian payback I guess...
m

[uponit7771]

30. That "5%" were that are dead were trigger pullers and front line and has killed the efficacy of ...

... banded infantry units.

He now has to go to foreign reserves who'll be thrown into this meat grinder cause they're out.

Not everyone involved in military invasions are the infantry who kill other humans, cooks, clerks etc don't make good infantry

[edhopper]

4. Expect some

horrendous atrocities by this group of mercenaries.

[GoCubsGo]

7. That's if they don't get wiped out first.

Putin hired them based on their abilities to fight in the streets of their own cities. They don't know the Ukraine or its cities, like they do their own. Their Ukrainian counterparts, who are at last as tough, do. They're at a massive disadvantage, even more so, since being Middle Eastern, they'll stick out like sore thumbs in lily-white Ukraine. I don't think these guys know what they're getting themselves into.

[PatSeg]

22. And I'm sure they aren't going to like

fighting in Europe during the winter. The whole story sounds rather fishy.

[GoCubsGo]

28. Yeah, there's that, too.

It sounds like a desperate act of a madman to me.

[PatSeg]

29. Yes and we can't trust a word he says

[edhopper]

31. It's Spring

I am sure they will survive Temps in thew 50s.

[PatSeg]

33. It is snowing in parts of Ukraine

What is mild weather to some people is very cold to others. It is also a different kind of warfare.

[edhopper]

35. It's gets into

the 20s in Tehran and Lebanon.

[Lovie777]

5. WOW . ..

I wonder how the good ole Middle East haters in the USA feel about this.

[Scrivener7]

6. Huh? I would guess they would feel vindicated. How do you think they will feel?

[Walleye]

8. I thought the right wing cozied to Putin because he was on our side in the "war on terror"

[Scrivener7]

11. Yes, of course, but the poster was asking how the "middle east haters" feel. Two different

things.

Perhaps you are right and they are correlating the two.

[sop]

9. Biden should send in Oathkeepers, Proud Boys, III%ers, the Klan, NRA members, all the rightwing

militias and everyone who took part in the 1/6 coup. Tell them "we need to fight them over there" before they breach Trump's wall or come across the border in a caravan.

[Scrivener7]

12. Would you wish that on the Ukrainians?

[sop]

25. You're right.

The Meal Team Six brigade would devour everything in sight. Ukrainian kids would go hungry.

[jcgoldie]

13. They would fight on the wrong side

Fascism is their friend. 😕

[obamanut2012]

18. ummm.... vindicated that Middle Easterns hate democracy

IF ALERTED ON I AM NOT SAYING I AGREE, but am answering the poster that those folks who feel vindicated.

[Turbineguy]

14. Mercenaries who work for free.

How nice of them.

[BGBD]

15. Just a reminder

That these guys suck. Couldn't beat a bunch of underarmed rebels despite having Russian Air support and fighting in a largely friendly country to them.

Ukraine is a different animal with much better equipment.

[Thrill]

17. This after the Ukrainian President said

Putin is using Syrian fighters? Tells you they’re already there and Ukraine has either killed or captured some. So Putin had no choice but to confirm this

[obamanut2012]

19. My take, too

[PatSeg]

23. Yes, that makes sense

[Johonny]

24. I hope they pack sandwiches, because Putin isn't known for feeding his troops

[JI7]

26. THis is why he was making those comments about Islam or Muhammed should not be criticized

and attacking the EU and others for allowing criticism of Islam (they allow criticism of all religions) .

[RAB910]

27. I am sure people used to desert heat will thrive in sub-zero conditions

[edhopper]

32. It's Spring

Temps in the 40s to 60s.

[RAB910]

34. I have been hearing reports about sub-zero temperatures

[edhopper]

36. There are sub zero temps in

Iran. My concern is the atrocities these fighters will inflict, not their winning battles.