Internal Russian disputes over the number of victims of the war in Ukraine are revealed, among other things, by leaked US documents, causing concern in the US about the information that has become public, while Russia has warned that the leaks may be fake, intentionally by the US.

So far Russia has reported few military casualties in Ukraine, but leaked documents show the FSB security service claimed officials were not counting the deaths of the Russian National Guard, Wagner mercenaries and others.

In fact, this information from the documents confirms what was already widely known: that Russian military and security groups have frequently disagreed over the handling of the war in Ukraine, and that Russia has avoided releasing its death and injury numbers. .

The FSB’s estimate of nearly 110,000 casualties up to February is still far below the numbers in previously leaked US documents, which put Russian casualties in that period at between 189,500 and 223,000, with 35,500-43,000 men having killed in action.

The same document says the under-reporting of casualties within the system highlights the military’s “continued reluctance” to convey bad news to senior management.

“information warfare”

Another leaked document marked top secret refers to one “information warfare” between the Ministry of Defense and the boss of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, last February.

Prigozhin has repeatedly accused the military of cutting off ammunition supplies as his men battled to take Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.

The leaked documents cite Russian Defense Ministry officials as suggesting they find “allies of equal status to fight Prigozhin instead of doing it themselves.”

Another interesting leaked document notes that Russia’s Main Operations Directorate hails a successful operation carried out in early February aimed at convincing Ukrainian intelligence about a possible joint Russian-Belarusian attack from Belarus.

At the time, as Russia’s military campaign in the east stalled ahead of the war’s anniversary, there were reports of a Russian military build-up in Belarus aimed at reviving its failed invasion from Belarusian soil the previous year. This resulted in Kiev being forced to move troops to defend the area from possible attack, leaving the front lines in the east and south.

The leaked document cites a directorate official as recommending two more such proposals last March to “further mislead Ukrainian forces,” the document states. The leak makes it clear that the plans were being sent to Belarus’ military chief for approval.