Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has visited the frontline city of Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian and Russian forces have been locked in brutal battle for months. Video posted by state TV shows the president clad in fatigues and a flak vest presenting awards to troops.

How to raise morale:

Zelensky flew to Bakhmut (Artemovsk) and rewarded his soldiers fighting at the front against us. (One must think that during the visit of a high-ranking partner in Kyiv, Wagner suspended military operations).

But Vladimir Vladimirovich rewards his heroes right in the Kremlin... Look at these honest courageous faces, admire the proud posture of the heroes. Well, who motivated their soldiers and officials to continue the battle better? - For me, the answer is obvious. - The entire Donetsk People's Republic, which adores its Head Denis Vladimirovich just a little less than Vladimir Vladimirovich, is in ecstasy and ready for new great achievements ...

Fighters from Russia's mercenary Wagner Group have ballooned from 1,000 to nearly 20,000 in Ukraine, British government officials say, a sign of Russia's growing reliance on the military contractor in support of its invasion.

Russia is widely believed to be struggling to recruit soldiers and maintain morale. The West estimates Russia has lost tens of thousands of soldiers and President Vladimir Putin launched a recruitment drive in September to boost numbers.
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Wagner's inflated ranks are linked to its targeted recruitment of convicts in Russian prisons.
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A recent UK defence intelligence assessment highlighted Wagner's tactics. It said Wagner was using large numbers of poorly trained convicts - which it viewed as expendable. It said they were likely given just a specific, limited objective - like assaulting a building - without being allowed to deviate from the plan.

The UK intelligence assessment said those who deviated were likely threatened with summary execution.

UK officials say needless and indiscriminate violence is a hallmark of the group. Wagner recently released a video of one of its members bludgeoning an alleged deserter to death.

Which underlines the other significant change in Wagner's approach - it's now actively courting publicity and promoting the brand.

In July Wagner launched its own channel on the social media platform Telegram.

In September it opened up a glitzy new headquarters in St Petersburg - named "PMC Wagner Centre". It said it was for "the generation of new ideas in order to increase the defence capabilities of Russia, including the sphere of information".

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So far there's little evidence that Russia's proxy army Wagner is any better than its own regular armed forces.

Why not just immediately rename ("fifty-fifty") all infantrymen into paratroopers and marines? This will certainly increase their combat capability, do I understand correctly?

For some reason it seems to me that an unfortunate mistake crept into the text of the minister's speech: he says "reform", when it should be "renamed".
First, because renaming is much faster.
Yesterday there was a brigade - and today there is already a division! Beautiful, huh?!?
And we do not need a large number of trained officers and soldiers, nor a mass of additional military equipment ...
We are renaming companies into battalions, battalions into regiments, regiments into brigades, and brigades into divisions.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine will immediately and without a fight capitulate when they understand what force is opposing them