Every day since the escalation of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine at the end of February 2022, the UK Ministry of Defense publishes its assessment of the conflict. On August 21, 2023, the issue is Russia’s military buildup.
Via X, formerly Twitter, the UK Ministry of Defense writes: “Russia is expanding its military structures in the face of wartime realities. A new formation is very likely – the 18th Combined Arms Army (18 CAA).” And further, “The formation is likely to be an amalgamation and augmentation of other units currently operating in Kherson Oblast, including the 22nd Army Corps, which normally forms the Russian garrison in occupied Crimea. (…) 18 CAA will likely consist mainly of mobilized personnel and focus on defensive security operations in southern Ukraine. Russia likely intends to release more experienced units to fight on key axes.”
In conclusion, the UK Ministry of Defense writes: “There is a realistic possibility that this led to the recent redeployment of airborne troops from Kherson to the heavily contested Orikhiv sector.”
Image: Kremlin.ru, 2018 inauguration of Vladimir Putin, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (image size modified)
