Russian Defense Minister: Shoigu Announces Army Reorganization

Defense Minister Shoigu has announced changes to the military to ensure Russia’s security. According to the Institute for Combat Research, Moscow is preparing a decisive strategic move in Ukraine.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has announced the reorganization of the Russian military. Reforms in administration are necessary to accommodate the increase in troop numbers demanded by the Kremlin. Shoigu told a meeting of the Defense Ministry that Russia’s security can only be guaranteed through structural changes in the armed forces.

In the wake of the war in Ukraine, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin announced just before New Year’s Day that he would increase the number of soldiers from 1.15 to 1.5 million.

Army units in annexed areas

Independent military units are to be formed in areas of Ukraine annexed by Russia.

“Two multi-branch strategic regional associations of the armed forces are to be established: the Moscow and Leningrad military circles, as well as separate troops in the new territories of the Russian Federation.”

By this, Shoigu refers to areas in Ukraine annexed by Russia in violation of international law. Fierce fighting has been going on for weeks, particularly in the Donetsk region. Last week, Russia was able to celebrate a military victory for the first time since the summer of 2022, when it announced the capture of the small town of Soledor in the Donetsk region.

Army Corps in Karelia

In addition, Shoigu announced the establishment of a military force in the northern Russian republic of Karelia. This may be a reaction to the planned NATO accession of the Scandinavian countries Sweden and Finland. The combat capabilities of the navy, air force and missile forces must be strengthened, Shoigu demanded.

Hence the renovation of the structures should be completed by 2023 and 2026. Due to the large number of defeats in the war of aggression against Ukraine, the military leadership in Moscow faces many problems and shortcomings that must now be corrected.

Raising the draft age is not ruled out

There may also be changes to the draft age question, meaning that older bookies may also be drafted in the future. However, Kremlin spokesman Peskov did not rule it out.

“You know the proposals made by the Ministry of Defense. They are still mentioned in relation to raising the draft age. You also know that President Putin generally accepts them in principle. That’s why the whole apparatus is currently being further developed. “So Peskov.

The Kremlin has yet to comment on the second wave of mobilization. Observers of the Ukrainian military intelligence service, the British Ministry of Defense and the independent Russian media site Verstka believe it could be imminent.

ISW: Russia is preparing for a long war

According to the think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia is preparing for a decisive strategic move in Ukraine. ISW explained that the aim was to recapture the initiative over the next six months and end the Ukrainian gains since September.

According to ISW, there are signs that Russia wants to turn the invasion, which Moscow’s leadership has so far marketed as a special military operation, into a “major conventional war” after months of failures.

It cited reports of Russia’s intense preparations to mobilize additional troops, keep already mobilized personnel active, increase production of military equipment and rebuild the command structure.

LONDON: Russia has problems with precision

According to the British intelligence services, the Russian military is facing difficulties in accurately targeting its attacks in the war against Ukraine and assessing the damage in advance. According to the British Ministry of Defence’s daily briefing, examples of the war show that Russia has weaknesses in its ability to strike with long-range weapons.

As an example, the British cited an attack on a residential complex in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. The type of rocket that was hit there a few days ago was inaccurate when fired at targets on the ground and in cities due to its radar system. The attack was the most significant of several Russian attacks over the past weekend.

With information from Stephen Locke, ART Studio Moscow