Only by strengthening the most important structural components of the armed forces is it possible to ensure the state’s military security and protect new units and critical facilities of the Russian Federation, Reuters quoted the Russian defense minister at a defense ministry meeting as saying.
According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the forthcoming changes were made necessary by the “proxy war” that the West is waging by supplying Ukraine with ever heavier weapons. According to agency reports, the reorganization of the army is also intended to implement the increase in troops demanded by Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin.
The Defense Ministry, which has come under domestic criticism for the ineffectiveness of its efforts to control large parts of Ukraine, pledged in December to increase its military personnel from 1.15 to 1.5 million men.
Independent units in annexed areas
The renovation of the structures announced by Shoigu should be completed between 2023 and 2026. According to the information, two large territorial units are to be created with a Moscow and a Leningrad military district, which will combine several branches of the armed forces.
The plans also include independent military units in the Ukrainian territories annexed by Russia. In addition, Shoigu announced the establishment of an army corps in the northern Russian republic of Karelia. This could be a reaction to the planned NATO accession of the Scandinavian countries Sweden and Finland.
Changed military leadership several times
In the eleven months of the Ukraine war, which Russia continues to call a “special military operation”, there have already been several changes in Russian military leadership. Just last week, Shoigu appointed Army General Valery Gerasimov, chief of the military general staff, as Ukraine’s new commander. This is the third time in a few months that the Kremlin has changed command of the Ukraine war.
International observers puzzled over the motives for the move and, in view of the rivalry between the Russian army and the paramilitary group Wagner, which has recently become more apparent, not only identified military, but above all political backgrounds.
The Russian Ministry of Defense justified the change with an “expansion of tasks” and the “need” for “closer interaction” between the troops and spoke of an “increase in the management level of the special operations”. According to the Kremlin, the declared goal of the invasion remains the complete capture of the four annexed regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Cherson.
“Progress in completing combat objectives”
According to Moscow, Shoigu got an idea of the situation on Tuesday at the headquarters of an army unit stationed in Ukraine. The commander of the Vostok group and commanders of other units informed Shoigu about the “progress in the fulfillment of combat objectives,” the Defense Ministry said. Whether the headquarters of the Vostok group is in Ukraine or in Russia remains open.
A video released by the ministry along with the statement shows Shoigu speaking to military commanders, some of whom are connected via video. The new Ukraine commander Gerasimov was also connected via video. According to the Defense Ministry, Shoigu traveled twice to the area of the Russian military operation in Ukraine in December.
