British intelligence: Russian army struggles amid high casualties in Ukraine
3:07 PM EDT, August 21, 2024
British intelligence has analyzed the war situation in Russia and the state of its army fighting in Ukraine. The British Ministry of Defense reported that the war of attrition with Kyiv made it difficult for Moscow to create better units because it could not ensure higher combat skills.
In the conflict with Ukraine, ongoing since early 2022, the tide of victory is not shifting in favor of the Russian army. The British Ministry of Defense assesses that Russia is encountering difficulties in creating units with higher combat capabilities due to the war of attrition tactics it employs in its conflict with Ukraine.
According to PAP, this strategy requires the continuous replenishment of infantry personnel on the front line, which does not allow for full and comprehensive soldier training. New forces are still needed at the front, so inexperienced draftees quickly end up in the trenches.
British intelligence determined. Moscow suffers from a lack of soldiers
The latest intelligence update from the British Ministry of Defense references information provided by the Russian portal Important Stories. According to these reports, one of the units engaged by Russia to defend the Kursk region is the Specialized Motorized Rifle Regiment.
This regiment was formed in May from soldiers of the Aerospace Forces, which is an unusual solution. It falls under the Northern Group of Forces.
Among the ranks of this formation are specialists who previously handled other tasks in the military. These include early warning radar operators or personnel from the long-range heavy bomber squadrons.
The British Ministry of Defense pointed out that reassigning soldiers from these previously high-priority positions likely indicates a personnel shortage. By engaging specialized military experts in infantry units, Russia risks the inappropriate use of these forces, which may negate the chances of regaining the Kursk region.
"Russia continues to create new units and recruit personnel to maintain its war of attrition tactics against Ukraine. The high casualty rates resulting from this mean that Russia must constantly replenish infantry personnel on the front line, which almost certainly will continue to limit Russia's ability to form units with higher capabilities," was assessed in the intelligence update.
