Russia is likely to have suffered “heavy losses” in the south of Ukraine, British defence chiefs have said.
This week, Vladimir Putin visited the south of Ukraine which is currently occupied by Russian forces.
While there, the Russian president visited the so-called “Dnipr Group Of Forces (DGF)” which has been created to defend the southern sector of the occupied zone.
At the start of the war, however, Russian forces were organised into groups aligned to military districts such as the Western and Central Groups of Forces, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in its latest update.
Commenting on the existence of a new military force, the MoD suggested it may have “evolved, probably due to heavy losses”.
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 20 April 2023.
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“DGF’s mission is likely to defend the southern sector of the occupied zone, and especially the south-western flank which is currently marked by the Dnipro river.”
Amid the high number of casualties within the Russian military, the Kremlin has launched a video campaign to lure more professional soldiers to fight in Ukraine.
The advert challenges those interested to show they are “a real man” and swap what it casts as hum-drum civilian life for the battlefield.
It is thought that the Kremlin is looking to bolster its force by up to 400,000 new recruits to aid the stagnating invasion.
Russia’s recruitment drive comes ahead of an expected Ukrainian counter-offensive in the coming weeks.
The West has supplied Ukraine with battle tanks, including British Challenger IIs and German-built Leopards, as well as long-range artillery, in order to aid a fresh assault on Russian forces.
Ahead of the expected Ukrainian attack, fighting has centred on the eastern town of Bakhmut.
Both sides have suffered heavy losses in and around the city, although Russia has only made marginal gains in the area.
On Thursday, Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg paid his first visit to Kyiv since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 14 months ago.
While there the Nato chief travelled to Kyiv’s St Michael’s Square where he paid tribute to Ukrainian soldiers who have been killed in the war.
