- Ukrainian soldiers told the NYT they captured a Russian medic who was forced to operate a tank.
- The lack of skilled troops comes after a stinging defeat for Russia in a major tank battle.
- Russia continues to face high casualties and various setbacks a year into the war.
Ukrainian soldiers said they captured a Russian medic who had been forced to operate a tank in a recent battle, according to a report from the New York Times.
The Ukrainian soldiers told The Times that the medic had been reassigned to drive the tank during a three-week battle near Vuhledar in southern Ukraine. Ukrainian officials told the Times it was the biggest tank battle of the war so far and a decisive victory for Ukraine.
The Times reported that the battle saw Russian forces make the same mistakes they had in previous conflicts, including advancing columns of tanks into Ukrainian ambushes and failing to capture territory.
The medic's reassignment is the latest example of Russian forces lacking skilled troops. In January, US officials said Russian President Vladimir Putin was following an unsuccessful strategy of rushing the training of new troops to replace dead or wounded soldiers on the battlefield, Insider previously reported.
One part of that strategy appears to include drafting full-time Russian college students, which Insider previously reported would be complete by April 1.
A year into the war, Russia continues to face various setbacks, like unskilled troops, high losses, and limited resources. Despite no clear end in sight, multiple US and Pentagon officials have echoed sentiments that Russia has lost the war and will emerge from Ukraine a "shattered military power," Insider previously reported.