The aggressor country failed to implement its covert mobilization plans and created 16 volunteer battalions. Rifle units were to be deployed in almost every region of the Russian Federation. Vadym Skibitsky, the representative of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, stated this on the air of the "Kyiv" TV channel.
"According to confirmed data, 8 battalions were formed by mid-July. This is not enough for Russia. These battalions were formed in any way. They recruited anyone. Therefore, to conduct hostilities, Russia decided to form a third separate army corps. It is currently being formed in the Western Military District to use it as a unit against Ukraine. They announced their plans to form this corps by mid-August," said a representative of Ukraine's military intelligence.
Vadym Skibitskyi also announced the catastrophic understaffing of the combat units of the Russian occupation forces with officers. According to him, the highest command echelon of the Russian army did not fulfill the tasks set before it in February and March regarding the occupation of Ukraine and was displaced. Also, the middle command link of the occupation units is significantly understaffed.
"According to the information that the military intelligence of Ukraine receives from various sources, particularly radio intercepts, we see that the shortage of officers is simply catastrophic. In their conversations, they say that there are no officers in the units or at all, and if there are, no one knows or sees them. And we see this problem in forming the same third army corps and other units Russia is forming.
To ensure the availability of lower-level commanders in the units, they are forced to assign the rank of junior lieutenant to the sergeant ranks," said the representative of the military intelligence of Ukraine.
