Russia is returning wounded soldiers to the front lines before their combat-related injuries have healed, likely to provide relief to the military’s overburdened medical system, British military officials said Sunday.

Commanders of the 20th Combined Arms Army have reportedly formed assault groups made up of “walking wounded” personnel and sent them directly into combat against Ukraine, U.K. officials posted on X in their latest assessment of the battlefield.

Russia has sustained about 830,000 casualties — both killed and wounded — since February 2022, when President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of neighboring Ukraine. More than 400,000 wounded Russian soldiers have required treatment at medical facilities away from the front lines.

“The injured soldiers have likely been returned to their units after being discharged from forward medical facilities, prematurely, at the behest of their commanders,” U.K. officials said. “This reduces the pressure on the overburdened military medical system and increases the unit’s ability to track and use wounded servicemen for operational tasks.”

British officials said the lack of proper medical attention at Russian military health care facilities away from the front lines requires the transfer of the medical and administrative burden back to the wounded soldier’s unit.

• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.