How did Russia lose HALF of its 45,000 elite paratroopers in just seven months? CHRIS PLEASANCE explains how Putin's generals' blunders saw thousands of crack VDV soldiers slaughtered... and what that means for the Ukraine war

By CHRIS PLEASANCE FOR MAILONLINE 

PUBLISHED: 02:21 EST, 1 March 2023 | UPDATED: 03:09 EST, 1 March 2023

 Russia’s paratroopers – the VDV – are supposed to be the best of the best. 

The 45,000-strong elite and experienced force has a reputation for ingenuity, toughness, and violence. What's more, its soldiers are among Moscow’s best equipped and best trained fighters.

This makes it all the more shocking that, seven months after Vladimir Putin ordered his armies to invade Ukraine in February 2022, half of them were dead.

Here, Chris Pleasance examines how 50 percent of Putin’s elite fighting force were wiped out as Ukraine put up a fierce defence of its country, and what that means for the Kremlin’s remaining army.

Watch the video here:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11803095/Ukraine-did-Russia-lose-HALF-45-000-elite-paratroopers-just-seven-months.html