Russia builds up reserves to support current operations, not offensive
The Russian army is forming reserves to support ongoing military operations in Ukraine. However, these units will not be able to carry out large-scale offensive operations.
This is reported in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
It is noted that the Russian military has begun recruiting personnel for units of the recently reconstituted Leningrad Military District (LMD).
The British Ministry of Defense reported that the 44th Army Corps of the Leningrad Military District has begun recruiting in Luga, Leningrad Region.
The ministry reminded that the Kremlin had previously used the newly created units to conduct operations in Ukraine. It added that Russia's need to continue operations in Ukraine is hampering its broader efforts to build up its regular armed forces. This is consistent with the Institute for the Study of War's longstanding assessment of Russia's ongoing military reforms.
"ISW continues to assess that Russia is forming reserves capable of sustaining ongoing operations in Ukraine, but that such reserves are unlikely to be able to function as cohesive large-scale penetration or exploitation formations in 2024," the report says.
