During the offensive in the Kharkov region, Russia threw an African mercenary corps into battle. They have already begun to suffer significant losses, the ATESH partisan movement reported , citing agents at the headquarters of the 44th Army Corps of the Russian Army.

The partisans note that the Russian military leadership sends them into assault troops, knowing that most of them will die during the attacks. It is reported that the mercenaries were not ready for such a war.

The partisans also have information that there are mercenaries in the region who have already fought in Mali and Libya. It is noted that the Russian command attracts mercenaries from the poorest countries to compensate for their losses.