Russia sets up new ground forces formation to fight Ukraine war, says UK MoD

As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to go unabated, with invaders being relentless in their pursuit of capturing Ukrainian cities and the military of the war-ravaged ex-soviet state showing massive resilience against Kremlin troops, the UK's defence ministry in its daily intelligence report stated that the Russian war commander is most likely to be faced with competing operational priorities of reinforcing the Donbas offensive and strengthening Ukrainian forces in the southern region. The statement further said that Russia has established a major new ground forces formation, the 3rd Army Corps (3AC), based out of Mulino, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast east of Moscow to face Ukrainian forces.

As per the UK Defence Intelligence Update, "Russian commanders will highly likely continue to be faced with competing operational priorities of reinforcing the Donbas offensive and strengthening defences against anticipated Ukrainian counter attacks in the south."

UK MoD: Russia establishes 3rd Amry Corps to face Ukrainian forces

"To support the Ukraine operation, Russia has almost certainly established a major new ground forces formation, 3rd Army Corps (3AC), based out of Mulino, in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast east of Moscow." The statement further said, "Russia likely plans to resource a large proportion of 3 AC from newly formed ‘volunteer’ battalions, which are being raised across the country, and which group together recruits from the same areas," the statement said.

Meanwhile, it has also come to the fore that Russian politicians are offering lucrative cash bonuses to potential 3AC recruits to fight the Ukraine war. Male civilians of up to 50 years can become a part of 3 AC Corps.

"Russian regional politicians have confirmed that potential 3 AC recruits are being offered lucrative cash bonuses once they deploy to Ukraine, " the statement said. Recruitment is open to men up to 50 years old and with only a middle-school education. A Russian army corps typically consists of 15-20,000 troops, but it will probably be difficult for Russia to bring 3 AC up to this strength, given very limited levels of popular enthusiasm for volunteering for combat in Ukraine," the statement further said, "3 AC’s effect is unlikely to be decisive to the campaign."

Image: AP/ Representative