Russian Military Reform

Shoigu announced the formation of 12 military units and divisions in the Western Military District against the backdrop of the intention of Sweden and Finland to join NATO

According to the head of the defense department, this year it is planned to supply more than two thousand units of modern weapons and military equipment to the units of the Western Military District.

Tension continues to grow in the area of ​​responsibility of the Western Military District. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is taking measures of adequate countermeasures. This was stated by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at the Board of the Russian Defense Ministry.

“Under these conditions, we are actively improving the combat composition of the troops. By the end of the year, 12 military units and divisions will be formed in the Western Military District,” he said.

He also added that the organizational measures are synchronized with the supply of modern weapons and military equipment to the Russian troops. It is expected that this year the ZVO will receive more than two thousand units of such samples.

In addition, Sergei Shoigu said that NATO is currently conducting a series of exercises "Defender of Europe" with the participation of up to forty thousand military personnel from thirty countries of the alliance. The main feature of the maneuvers is the transfer of a full-fledged division from the USA to the European continent.

https://tvzvezda-ru.translate.goog/news/20225201220-huetK.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB&_x_tr_pto=nui

Apparently a new Russian Special Purpose (Spetsnaz) brigade was or is being formed to use UAV's to track down and destroy the Western artillery systems being given to Ukraine. Makes you wonder if there are not advanced UAV's coming out of Iran to be used in the SMO. The two that are rumored are a long range system that carries 4 AGM's or 8 bomblets and a suicide or kamikaze drone for wave attacks. Not definite yet of the accuracy here but will continue to search.

franco wrote:Apparently a new Russian Special Purpose (Spetsnaz) brigade was or is being formed to use UAV's to track down and destroy the Western artillery systems being given to Ukraine. Makes you wonder if there are not advanced UAV's coming out of Iran to be used in the SMO. The two that are rumored are a long range system that carries 4 AGM's or 8 bomblets and a suicide or kamikaze drone for wave attacks. Not definite yet of the accuracy here but will continue to search.    

There aren't any drones coming from Iran. It turned out to be civil airline spare parts.

https://www.rt.com/news/559807-us-backtrack-iran-drones/

US backtracks on claims Russia is buying Iranian drones.

Russia has a range of medium sized drones that can carry ATGMs and custom designed reduced size munitions of a range of new types already displayed at airshows and arms shows... why would they need Iranian drones...

Having special forces units trained and equipped especially for hunting down specific targets will be very useful... whether it is artillery or weapons or drugs being transported in peace time or during war this new unit will be very interesting and will likely get a range of different drone types like HALE or MALE drones.

In addition to ATGMs having various munitions and weapons would be useful.

The orcs have had artillery vehicles on the front line for a while apparently, including the new German guns but they are suffering from, it seems they want better drone resources because those Turkish drones do a good job but not against modern air defences, so the targets they are hitting are bridges and jails and market squares... fixed locations of known coordinates because they have no means of finding targets for themselves...

https://www.rt.com/russia/559843-ukraine-himars-missile-target-blind/

Formation of volunteer battalions in Russia and Tatarstan

The Tatarstan business resource "BUSINESS Online" has published an article by Stanislav Shemelov and Maxim Kirillov "The word" battalion "is too exaggerated here": how nominal units replace mobilization in Russia. “Timer” caught up with “Alga”, at the weekend it was already being thrown into the fields of the NVO,” which says that four months ago, the Russian regions announced the creation of personalized battalions to participate in a special military operation in Ukraine. Each of them is formed exclusively according to the territorial, compatriotic principle. At the moment, the training camp took place in about 40 republics and regions. Our sources report that Tatarstan has formed two large battalions and is already preparing them to be sent to carry out tasks.

About how the rest of the regional military enlistment offices are coping and what secret weapon of the Tuvans should be used by the fighters of "Alga" and "Timer" - in the material "BUSINESS Online".

Chechnya was one of the first in the country, even before the start of a special military operation, to form nominal military units on a compatriotic basis. The “Kadyrovtsy” (as they were nicknamed by the people) participated in the hostilities on the territory of the LDNR almost from the first days. In particular, we are talking about SOBR and OMON "Akhmat" detachments, named after the father of the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov, the "South" battalion and the 141st motorized regiment named after. Akhmat-Khadji Kadyrov. In terms of media coverage, these military formations have probably become the most popular.

The main feature of the units is that at first they were formed only from the inhabitants of Chechnya. Soon this idea began to spread widely to other regions. Moreover, the initiative, as it is commonly believed, was born from below. Bashkortostan was next in the campaign - the formation of the first battalion named after the legendary military leader of the times of the Great Patriotic War Minigali Shaimuratov was announced back in May by the chairman of the republican organization "Veterans of the Marine Corps and Special Forces of the Navy" Alik Kamaletdinov, who later became Radiy Khabirov's adviser on interaction with military personnel. A little later, in June, "Veterans of the airborne troops and special forces of Bashkortostan" announced the birth of the second battalion - already the name of the paratrooper Alexander Dostavalov, a native of Ufa, who died during the second Chechen campaign.

The leadership of Bashkortostan as a whole should be given credit - Khabirov is one of the first (more precisely, one of the few) who visited the DPR in the spring, and later the LPR. He also takes an active part in the life of personalized battalions: either he personally sends Bashkir volunteers to the training ground, or he himself arrives there to ride and shoot from the BMP. In this sense, we can say that Khabirov actively adheres to the agenda of the SVO, which cannot be said, for example, about officials from other regions who try to be less visible on this topic.

Behind Bashkortostan, the Perm and Kirov authorities became the next creators of personalized battalions. They announced the recruitment of volunteers for the Parma and Vyatka detachments, respectively. Just make a reservation: "Parma" is far from being a battalion, but a motorized rifle company of about 90 people. But after it, in the Perm Territory, they began to form tankers into the Hammer battalion (about 160 people). Interestingly, in the Kama region, the names of the battalions bear the names of popular local basketball and hockey clubs.

FULL ARTICLE: https://bmpd-livejournal-com.translate.goog/4576270.html?_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

Kadyrov announced the completion of the creation of a new motorized rifle regiment

The head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov , announced the completion of the formation of a new motorized rifle regiment, which is part of the 42nd motorized rifle division, TASS reports with reference to Kadyrov's Telegram channel.

“The formation of the 78th motorized rifle regiment named after the outstanding political figure Hero of Russia Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov has ended. The regiment is part of the 42nd motorized rifle division. Starting today, the military personnel of the new unit can begin full-fledged service,” the head of Chechnya wrote.

Kadyrov noted that the regiment was completed in the shortest possible time. According to him, against the backdrop of the ongoing special operation, the number of people wishing to become military personnel is growing.

Earlier, Kadyrov posted on his Telegram channel a video of sending another plane with fighters to the zone of a special military operation in Ukraine.

Prior to this, Kadyrov stated that he considered it necessary to transfer all the military to a reinforced version of service. The politician said that during his meeting with the commanders of the power units of the region, the ongoing special operation became the main topic.

https://www-gazeta-ru.translate.goog/army/news/2022/09/03/18478009.shtml?_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

A new military camp will be built in the village of Sernovodskoye in Chechnya to accommodate the stationed

MOSCOW, September 15 - RIA Novosti. A new modern military camp to accommodate units deployed in Chechnya will be built in the village of Sernovodskoye, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters on Thursday.

"The project provides for the design and construction of more than 50 facilities, including dormitories, barracks, canteens, a park area for military equipment, a sports complex, and so on. Currently, 236 people and 112 pieces of equipment are involved in the facility," the military department said.

Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Timur Ivanov, as part of a working trip to the troops of the Southern Military District, inspected the construction site together with Chairman of the Parliament of the Republic Magomed Daudov.

Earlier, military builders have already commissioned a number of residential buildings in Chechnya for servicemen and members of their families in the town of Shali and the village of Borzoi.

https://vpk-name.translate.goog/news/631685_v_chechne_postroyat_novyi_voennyi_gorodok.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

NOTE: possible home for that new 78th Motor Rifle regiment just formed

Shoigu announced the need to increase the number of Russian Armed Forces to 1.5 million people

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that it is necessary to increase the number of Russian Armed Forces to one and a half million people. 

   “In order to guarantee the solution of the tasks of ensuring the military security of the Russian Federation, it is necessary to increase the number of the Armed Forces to one and a half million military personnel, including military personnel under the contract - up to 695 thousand people,” Shoigu said during an expanded meeting of the board of the Ministry of Defense.  

As Sergei Shoigu noted, it is necessary to gradually increase the age of conscription of citizens from 18 to 21 years , and raise the limit to 30 years. In addition, it is necessary to create the Moscow and Leningrad military districts .

And Russian President Vladimir Putin said that there are no restrictions on funding, the country gives everything that the army asks for . ■

https://tvzvezda-ru.translate.goog/news/202212211547-UNyb0.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB&_x_tr_pto=nui

For the first time in the history of the Russian Army, Sergei Shoigu proposed a total reform of the officer cadre as well as the military doctorate itself.

Shojgu ordered that by the end of the year the number of soldiers under the contract should be brought to 521,000, taking into account the replacement of those mobilized in groups and the acquisition of new formations.

https://twitter.com/Spriter0000

What are the Defense Ministry's plans for 2023?

The head of the ministry announced his intention to continue conducting a special military operation in 2023 until the tasks set are fully completed. Shoigu also called for the creation of a group of troops in the north-west of Russia, explaining this need by expanding NATO. We are talking about the creation of the Moscow and Leningrad military districts. In addition, it is necessary to "form three motorized rifle divisions, including as part of combined-arms associations in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, as well as an army corps in Karelia" and "reorganize seven motorized rifle brigades in the Western, Central, Eastern military districts and the Northern Fleet into motorized rifle divisions". two amphibious assault divisions.

The Minister of Defense also proposed that when recruiting the armed forces, the age of conscription of citizens should be gradually increased from 18 to 21 years, and the age limit should be raised to 30 years. According to him, it is necessary to provide the opportunity to sign a contract at will from the first day of joining the service.

Shoigu said that next year the Russian Navy will include the nuclear-powered Borei-A project submarine Imperator Alexander III, as well as four submarines and 12 surface ships. In addition, it is planned to put on combat duty in the strategic missile forces 22 launchers with intercontinental ballistic missiles "Yars", "Avangard" and "Sarmat", and the air strategic nuclear forces to take three strategic missile carriers Tu-160M.

The Minister of Defense stated the need to increase the supply of hypersonic missile systems "Dagger" and "Zircon"and conduct maneuvers of the troops "West-2023".

According to the Russian president, the Ministry of Defense understands all the advantages of the Russian Armed Forces and sees what needs to be done to improve them: the development of the army will take place "calmly" and without "any fuss", without repeating the mistakes of the past and destroying its own economy, the authorities do not intend to act to the detriment of people and the country.

FULL ARTICLE: https://translated.turbopages.org/proxy_u/ru-en.en.f8aada3d-63a335b6-6717598f-74722d776562/https/iz.ru/1444446/andrei-buzykin/krupnyi-plan-chem-zaimetsia-armiia-rossii-v-2023-m

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at an expanded meeting of the Ministry's board on Wednesday, December 21, said that more than 20 thousand people entered the service as volunteers during the call-up for partial mobilization.

https://translated.turbopages.org/proxy_u/ru-en.en.f8aada3d-63a335b6-6717598f-74722d776562/https/iz.ru/1444315/2022-12-21/shoigu-nazval-chislo-dobrovoltcev-uchastnikov-svo

At the collegium of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation taking place in Moscow, an open report was heard by the head of the department, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu , in which, among other things, he disclosed information about upcoming changes in the structure of the Russian armed forces, the beginning of which was announced for 2023.

Taking into account the next expansion of the North Atlantic Alliance, which has launched the procedure for admitting new countries to its membership, and, as a result, entailing the growth of threats to the security of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to approve a plan to increase the size of the RF Armed Forces, as well as to organize new formations and formations on threatened directions.

In the western direction, it is planned to form two new operational-strategic formations - the Moscow and Leningrad military districts. Considering that Finland will soon become a NATO member country, a decision has been made in Karelia to deploy a new army corps.

To assist in the implementation of the tasks of the special military operation, it is planned to form two new motorized rifle divisions with a location in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. It also became known that the Donetsk Combined Arms Command School will be opened in Donetsk to train officers.

As a reinforcement of the airborne troops, it was decided to form two new airborne assault divisions. Taking into account the previously voiced doubts about the ability of light airborne divisions to conduct combined arms combat, the proposal to form airborne assault formations armed with heavy military equipment, including tanks, is considered the most justified.

Marine brigades, which have proven themselves in the course of fulfilling the tasks of a special military operation in Ukraine, are proposed to be deployed in divisions. In Soviet times, in the system of the Navy, units of the marine corps were represented by separate regiments and brigades, while there was only one division - as part of the Pacific Fleet. Given that the same Pacific Fleet currently has two brigades, we can say that now two divisions will be restored here - the 55th in Vladivostok, and it is obvious that the Kamchatka Marine Brigade, formerly called the 22nd motorized rifle division named after V. And Chapaeva is ready to find her historical number.

It was also announced that seven motorized rifle brigades in the Central, Western, Southern and Eastern military districts, as well as in the Northern Fleet, would be reorganized into seven motorized rifle divisions.

Each existing military district will have one artillery division, four in total. In the Soviet period, such divisions included in their composition regiments: towed howitzer, self-propelled howitzer, rocket-artillery, anti-tank, artillery reconnaissance. It is also stated that in each such division one artillery brigade of high power will be formed. Such formations are armed with the most powerful artillery systems - 203-mm cannons 2S7M "Malka" and 240-mm self-propelled mortars 2S4 "Tyulpan". It is known that in the course of a special military operation in Ukraine, these systems have proven themselves in the best possible way.

Each combined-arms and tank army will receive an army aviation brigade, which will have at least 80 combat and transport helicopters. To do this, it is planned to form six new army aviation brigades in addition to the existing ones.

As part of the aerospace forces, three directorates of aviation divisions will be formed. In addition, a fighter aviation regiment and eight bomber regiments will be organized, which, obviously, will be part of the new aviation formations.

The forces that will be deployed in the threatened areas are planned to be provided with personnel. It is also planned to seriously expand the number of the RF Armed Forces - up to one and a half million people, including contract servicemen up to 695 thousand people. It is also planned to increase the age of conscription to 30 years.

https://riafan-ru.translate.goog/23811210-obnovlenie_armii_k_chemu_privedet_rasshirenie_strukturi_vs_rf?utm_source=warfiles.ru&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

I hope this SMO cures the virus that was implanted into the minds of (at least) part of the russian leadership, that any buck spend for the military
is somehow a loss for the country. Kudrin was likely the high priest of that believe. Russia should get the mindset back it had until the 80´s and which
still prevails in China that money spend on building tanks, planes and ships keeps jobs in the industry (mostly hi-tech sectors).

It seems the naval infantry have done a good job and that artillery is clearly very important in war, so these things will likely get improved funding and development, which is good.

With western sanctions forcing Russia to use Russian components for everything military it means spending on military in Russia is good for the economy because the money does not leave the country like it used to with foreign parts and equipment and components.

The west didn't become rich by giving away their technology... they rent it and make good money on it... and now they wont make any money from Russia, and the equipment and weapons and systems they develop to replace western equivalents means competition on the world markets for western stuff that will be every bit as good as what they can make likely for significantly less money... the west has cut off an income stream from Russia and created a competent rival on the international market too.

Russia is going to have to trade with the whole world and directly instead of through western subcontractors and brokers and via western shipping companies and insurance companies... Russia is going to make more of the profits and the west will miss out, which is why they need more than frigates and corvettes... not to invade or occupy other countries, but to defend her interests.

franco wrote:Shojgu ordered that by the end of the year the number of soldiers under the contract should be brought to 521,000, taking into account the replacement of those mobilized in groups and the acquisition of new formations.

So, given that the quote mentions mobilized troops, does that mean that part of the mobilized troops (to go to Ukraine) received contracts? But part of them did not? (otherwise I can't explain the discrepancy between 410 contract troops before mobilization, plus 320 mobilized troops. Which would amount to 700 000 contract troops, even accounting for deaths. Far more than 521 thousand that was mentioned)

So, given that the quote mentions mobilized troops, does that mean that part of the mobilized troops (to go to Ukraine) received contracts? But part of them did not? (otherwise I can't explain the discrepancy between 410 contract troops before mobilization, plus 320 mobilized troops. Which would amount to 700 000 contract troops, even accounting for deaths. Far more than 521 thousand that was mentioned)

Good question and I really don't have the answer but in my opinion;

- the 521,000 does not include the 300,000 mobilized

- remember it was planned to increase by 137,000 this year so some from there

- that 137,000 probably includes the LDPR regular forces plus other new recruits

- may include the 20,000 extra volunteers

- remember those contractors who contracts are up this year, have all been extended indefinitely

@franco
franco

So, given that the quote mentions mobilized troops, does that mean that part of the mobilized troops (to go to Ukraine) received contracts? But part of them did not? (otherwise I can't explain the discrepancy between 410 contract troops before mobilization, plus 320 mobilized troops. Which would amount to 700 000 contract troops, even accounting for deaths. Far more than 521 thousand that was mentioned)

Good question and I really don't have the answer but in my opinion;

- the 521,000 does not include the 300,000 mobilized

- remember it was planned to increase by 137,000 this year so some from there

- that 137,000 probably includes the LDPR regular forces plus other new recruits

- may include the 20,000 extra volunteers

- remember those contractors who contracts are up this year, have all been extended indefinitely

The ground forces are changing from a brigade model (four maneuver battalions each brigade: three rifle battalions and one tank battalion) to a divisional model (nine maneover battallions each: two rifle regiments and one tank regiment, each with three battalions)

This requires a large increase in riflemen and tankers, however the specialized base of the army (staff officers, artillerymen, engineers...) did not change much.

In addition, a new Military district was announced in Leningrad, for which a new army in Karelia must be added to the 6th army in Leningrad Oblast.
Although these two "armies" will be an army corps with only a maneuver division each or perhaps they will remain with two brigades each

On the other hand, in Novorussia a new army will be created, already in 2014 in Crimea an air division was created with one figther regiment, one mixed Su-24/Su-25 regiment and one helicopter regiment.

IF you look in the Southern Military District, there are 4 helicopter bases and there are only 3 armies, logically a new army is necesary in Novorussia, everything was planned since 2014

IF you look in the Southern Military District, there are 4 helicopter bases and there are only 3 armies, logically a new army is missing in Novorussia, everything was planned since 2014

Originally it was planned for a helicopter regiment to support each Combined Arms Army and a helicopter brigade to support each Military District. The brigades were all completed but not the regiments. If memory serves me correct, a regiment was to have 66 helicopters and a brigade 84-88 (?).

franco wrote:

Originally it was planned for a helicopter regiment to support each Combined Arms Army and a helicopter brigade to support each Military District. The brigades were all completed but not the regiments. If memory serves me correct, a regiment was to have 66 helicopters and a brigade 84-88 (?).

That was the theory, but there is no complete brigade with 4 squadrons, they have three like the rest of the regiments.

What they wanted to say is that there will be a regiment in each army and also one of them in each district becomes a brigade by having an additional squadron of Mi-26 but that is not really complete either, since they have only received 6 helicopters, the only the 16th brigade from Zernograd, which had about 12 but was mostly Soviet made,

Each squadron has 5 companies of 4 helicopters, in total 20
A regiment, if it is complete, had 3 squadrons and a detachment of 8 Mi-35, that is, 68.
If you add 12 Mi-26 in a brigade it should give you 80.
Another thing will be that the squadrons go up to 24 helicopters in the future

The last said by MoD is that there will be a helicopter brigade for each Combined Arms army, with another 6 brigades to be formed from regiments, but that leaves two armies without a brigade.
I imagine that the 1st tank army does not need a brigade and will be left with the Vyazma regiment
The other may be that there will be a second tank army from the Chelyabisk 90th Tank Division that only requires a helicopter regiment.

On the low efficiency of management documents of the head units of law enforcement agencies

The reasons for distortions with tags, regulations, photo reports are the systemic deformation of the work of law enforcement agencies over the years. Thus, in the conditions of the need to justify the expanding staffing structure of the head units, the newly created controlling, inspection, personnel, and settlement units annually introduced new forms of reporting required from units and bodies.

This led to an increase in reporting positions in the plans, the formation of plans from the Center that were inadequate to the situation, which regularly descended to the field. At the system level, new tables-forms of reporting were introduced, responsible controllers were appointed on the ground, and inspection units were created.

This activity of the Center was aggravated by the constant sending of supposedly "urgent" telegrams with varying degrees of secrecy to the places. It is important to note that each department/office/department of the head units of law enforcement agencies, in an effort to show their work, annually increased the number of such "urgent" instructions to the troops. At the end of the year, this, among other things, was presented as participation in the organizational and managerial process.

Over time, the wave of “planned plans” and “urgent instructions”, methodological recommendations and requirements replaced the independent planning of the work of units on the ground, deprived the commanders of the initiative, and fettered the officers to the fulfillment of endless, overlapping instructions.

In addition, no one from the Center made any attempt to estimate the number of man-hours required to carry out all the instructions from Moscow. Work on the instructions of Moscow began to wear a formal character. From here, phraseological units were born according to “regnomer”, “did not do it - write 7 times what you did” and “you can always hide behind a piece of paper”.

The most negative consequence in the troops was the transformation of work into its simulation through the endless execution of instructions, photo reports, progress tables of personnel, with whom no classes are actually held.

The beginning of the SVO did not change the work of the head units. Reinforcement training in active units is conducted on the ground by the most experienced commanders who show initiative and ingenuity.

In order to increase the efficiency of organizational and managerial work, it is necessary to gradually replace key positions in the leadership of law enforcement agencies with the most proven officers in the NMD, who will objectively be able to minimize the useless burden on the troops and increase the significance of the Center's instructions. The continuation of the situation, in which leaders with no experience of serving in the troops continue to sign documents that are useless from the point of view of command and control, is associated with the growth of threat-forming factors in the military sphere.

https://t.me/dva_majors/7382

Bureacracy still prevents much coordination in the SMO. Fear of punishment leads russian tankers to do suicidal charges in obviously minded areas like in bogorodichnoye and velika novosyolka because "orders are orders" and they cant be changed without asking for permission to ask for permission to ask for permission.

A friend of mine in a russian motorized brigade  mortar company told me that they have to ask permission to ask for permission to ask for permission in order to have an orlan in the air or permission to fire at coordinates.

Putin on Saturday morning visited the headquarters of the Southern Military District, talked with the command, presented banners to new military formations-Peskov

Moscow. December, 31st. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the headquarters of the Southern Military District on Saturday morning, talked with the command, presented banners to new military formations and state awards to military personnel, presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.
"President Vladimir Putin visited the headquarters of the southern military district this morning," he told reporters.

"There, he spoke with the commanders and also presented battle banners to new military formations, in particular, the First Donetsk, Second Guards Lugansk-Severodonetsk Army Corps, as well as the Donetsk Higher Combined Arms School," Peskov explained.

In addition, the Kremlin representative said, " the President of Russia presented state awards to military personnel who showed courage and heroism in performing combat tasks during a special military operation, and military orders and medals were awarded."
In particular, Peskov noted, Putin presented one of the servicemen with the Hero of Russia Star.

https://translated.turbopages.org/proxy_u/ru-en.en.d48777ae-63b03658-80cbd75d-74722d776562/https/www.militarynews.ru/story.asp?rid=0&nid=586928&lang=RU

Deputy head of military intelligence of Ukraine: Russia no longer uses tactics with the BTG during offensive operations

Ukrainian military intelligence said that Russian troops "changed the tactics" used in the offensive. The corresponding statement was made by a person who has been making statements on a regular basis in the past few days, broadcasting, among other things, about the timing of the “radical change”. This is a representative of Ukrainian intelligence Vadim Skibitsky.

Skibitsky, who holds the post of deputy head of military intelligence of Ukraine, today announced that now Russian troops do not use BTGs (battalion tactical groups), which in February last year “were thrown right through”.

Skibitsky: Instead, the Russian command uses groups of 140-160 people for assault operations.

At the same time, according to Skibitsky, the Russian Armed Forces "returned to the classical brigade-regiment-battalion" scheme.

Skibitsky: Assault groups include not only infantry, but also mortar crews, artillery units, motorized riflemen, tanks , and anti-tank crews.

At the same time, it is not entirely clear why the military intelligence of Ukraine repeats the same thing over and over again - that the RF Armed Forces "have left the use of BTG"? Or in this way, the NATO command is informed about the situation with a call to change the tactics of commanding Ukrainian forces in the theater of operations… But this can also be done through closed channels, and not through the media and social networks. Or is it an attempt to justify the fact that after the change of tactics by the Russian troops, the Armed Forces of Ukraine had problems with the presence of "overcomes"?

NOTE: the source may raise questions but I have been hearing this from other sources since last summer. Basically a change in tactics from using "re-enforced battalion groups (BTg)" to using "re-enforced company groups" of 16-20 or so vehicles. I can think of a lot of reasons why but have others here heard anything similar?  

https://topwar-ru.translate.goog/209376-zamnachalnika-voennoj-razvedki-ukrainy-rossija-pri-nastupatelnyh-dejstvijah-uzhe-ne-ispolzuet-taktiku-s-btg.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

A friend of mine in a russian motorized brigade mortar company told me that they have to ask permission to ask for permission to ask for permission in order to have an orlan in the air or permission to fire at coordinates.

Isn't it a Russian proverb to measure the cloth 7 times because you can only cut it once...

Opening fire on friendlies is a real risk in combat so lots of checks and confirmations before opening fire is a good thing to make sure friendly forces are not at risk.

Franco wrote:Deputy head of military intelligence of Ukraine: Russia no longer uses tactics with the BTG during offensive operations

Ukrainian military intelligence said that Russian troops "changed the tactics" used in the offensive. The corresponding statement was made by a person who has been making statements on a regular basis in the past few days, broadcasting, among other things, about the timing of the “radical change”. This is a representative of Ukrainian intelligence Vadim Skibitsky.

Skibitsky, who holds the post of deputy head of military intelligence of Ukraine, today announced that now Russian troops do not use BTGs (battalion tactical groups), which in February last year “were thrown right through”.

Skibitsky: Instead, the Russian command uses groups of 140-160 people for assault operations.

At the same time, according to Skibitsky, the Russian Armed Forces "returned to the classical brigade-regiment-battalion" scheme.

Skibitsky: Assault groups include not only infantry, but also mortar crews, artillery units, motorized riflemen, tanks , and anti-tank crews.

At the same time, it is not entirely clear why the military intelligence of Ukraine repeats the same thing over and over again - that the RF Armed Forces "have left the use of BTG"? Or in this way, the NATO command is informed about the situation with a call to change the tactics of commanding Ukrainian forces in the theater of operations… But this can also be done through closed channels, and not through the media and social networks. Or is it an attempt to justify the fact that after the change of tactics by the Russian troops, the Armed Forces of Ukraine had problems with the presence of "overcomes"?

NOTE: the source may raise questions but I have been hearing this from other sources since last summer. Basically a change in tactics from using "re-enforced battalion groups (BTg)" to using "re-enforced company groups" of 16-20 or so vehicles. I can think of a lot of reasons why but have others here heard anything similar?

One imprecision there the conventional scansion is: division/regiment/battalion not brigade that in Russian army was just a regiment with some added support unit taken by the former disbanded divisions.
That peculiar brigade formation, nodal point of Serdyukov reform was found ineffective as it didn't increase the number of infantry or tank units compared to a regiment and in the same time divided the divisional support in the former subordinate units making it less flexible and impossible to use in a concentration of effort mode.
Same I think happened with the BTG or better said their abuse: they were the former vanguard reinforced battalion of former regiments. transformed in a standing unit.
It could have been great in sense of giving them a training tailored to their specific role: error was to made them the standard battle formation, transforming about all the infantry battalion of former regiment (yep, also those on BTR-80) into them.
Final outcome was the same than with brigades: units too small to have a combat persistency on their own and with no possibilities to use their support units in a concentrated way (even worse) because we are talking about tanks and other short range support there, not artillery there.

NOTE: in NATO brigades the role of the former reinforced battalions is made by a thing called CAVALRY squadron (or Group of squadrons in some nations) and it work in about the same way i.e. they go ahead, find the enemy, fix it in place and wait the REST of brigade asset to come and finish it.
Naturally they are not just standing formations, they are a specific troop with their own traditions and ,above all, specific equipment for the role.
And one x brigade is the magic number, there is almost not any autonomous Cavalry Brigade instead in the whole NATO.

Earlier it was reported that the zone of responsibility of the Southern Military District included new regions of Russia - the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. This follows from the map of the military districts published on the website of the Russian Defense Ministry.

FULL ARTICLE: https://tvzvezda-ru.translate.goog/news/2023231059-HMngg.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB&_x_tr_pto=nui