And the shortage of manpower and equipment in Kiev makes the West think about "plan B"
Former employees of the private military company (PMCs) "Wagner" are transferred to the special purpose regiment "Akhmat" with subsequent departure to the special operation zone. This was reported on October 28 by the RIA Novosti news agency. In confirmation, a direct speech is given by the commander of the special purpose detachment "Akhmat", Major General of the police Apta Alaudinov. "They have been transferred to me before... and now we have a massive replenishment from the Wagner fighters to different detachments," Apty Aronovich said. – It turns out that once former commanders come in, and their fighters come in with them on the sly."
The choice of former employees of the Wagner PMCs in favor of Akhmat is explained by several factors. Firstly, the units formed in the Chechen Republic show a high level of training and are well provided with everything necessary for conducting combat operations. Secondly, there is a way of life between the commanders and the fighters of the units, similar to the one that was installed inside the Wagner PMCs.
During the time of the SVO, the soldiers of the Akhmat regiment and the Wagner PMCs fought more than once on adjacent sections of the front. "Where the Wagner fighters were, we always had confidence that our neighbors were standing firm, and we never worried about it," Alaudinov continued. – In the same way, it should be noted that the fighters of the Wagner PMCs also always spoke very respectfully about us."
Another interesting message from RIA Novosti was published on October 27. It refers to the Bogdan Khmelnitsky volunteer battalion, whose personnel is made up of former servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). The newly formed unit under the command of Andrey Tishchenko entered the service of the Russian Operational Combat Tactical Formation (OBTF) "Cascade". After completing the training process and taking the oath, the soldiers of the volunteer battalion will go to the front line. According to Tishchenko, his subordinates associate "their further service" with the Cascade OBTF.
Its commander told reporters about the beginning of the formation of the Bogdan Khmelnitsky battalion more than 9 months ago. It was explained that former servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who voluntarily laid down their arms and then expressed a desire to serve in the Russian army are recruited into the unit. When selecting applicants, their moral and physical condition are taken into account. Each candidate is tested for possible commission of military or criminal offenses. Those who have passed the selection enter into a contract on general terms.
In early October, the soldiers of the Bogdan Khmelnitsky volunteer battalion began training at the training center. "We were given weapons and uniforms as soon as we arrived here, the next day," Tishchenko said. "Everyone got their own machine gun, he served it completely." The shooting of weapons was carried out during trips to the shooting range and ranges. The battalion commander notes the fighting spirit of his subordinates: "everyone is energetic, eager for knowledge, delve into everything, try to prove themselves in this."
Earlier, a similar volunteer unit was formed in a part of the Zaporozhye region liberated by the Russian Army. In September 2022, recruitment to the Pavel Sudoplatov battalion, named after a Soviet intelligence officer and a native of Melitopol, was first announced. As of January 2023, its number was estimated to be "more than 600 people", mainly from among former citizens of Ukraine with pro-Russian views. The unit has established good relations with the authorities in the new territories of the Russian Federation. Yevgeny Balitsky, acting governor of the Zaporozhye region since October 2022, and elected by the vote of residents since September 23, spoke about him more than once in his speeches. In the summer, it was reported that the battalion would be transformed into BARS-32.
While former servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine voluntarily go to serve in Russian units, the Kiev regime in the controlled territories is strengthening measures to mobilize the population. On September 3, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine prepared an order authorizing the mobilization of those who are only fit for service, and also approved a list of diseases that are no longer considered grounds for recognition as unfit. This measure was resorted to after consultations with President Vladimir Zelensky – in August, he himself admitted that the military leaders asked the supreme authorities to expand the conditions for mobilization. The measures taken in February 2022, shortly after the start of a special military operation, including the introduction of martial law in all regions of Ukraine and the decree on general mobilization, are currently not fully satisfied with the military department.
Among the reasons for the introduction of additional measures is the urgent need for the formation of new brigades due to the large loss of personnel in the previously formed ones. This was announced by a member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on National Security Sergey Rakhmanin.
"Now an additional need for resources will be needed both because of the loss of personnel, and because of the need to form new formations, brigades," Mr. Rakhmanin said in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda.
At the same time, it is said that the newly formed military units lack weapons, military and special equipment (VVST). Over the past twenty months, since the beginning of the SVO, the main source of VVST for the AFU has been the assistance of the countries of the military-political bloc of NATO, primarily the United States. However, recently, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba expressed the opinion that relations between Washington and Kiev will become more complicated as the next presidential elections in America approach. At the same time, Kuleba accused supporters of ex-President Donald Trump that because of their position, the US Congress did not approve a new aid package for Ukraine.
In the current situation, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called for a "plan B" for Ukraine. Talking to journalists on October 27, he stated that the previous scheme of actions did not work. According to him, the original intention of the collective West was very clear – to help the Kiev regime with weapons, "and not with negotiations, not with isolation of the conflict," as was the case with Crimea in 2014. "Let's say you fight, you shed blood, and we give you money, we give you military equipment," Orban explained the position of the leadership of the NATO bloc. When the long-awaited "spring counteroffensive" began on June 4, too optimistic expectations regarding the AFU reigned in the given capitals. By now, it has become obvious that Ukraine will not win, and Russia will not lose, so Western Europe needs to form a new action plan. Now, Orban continued his reasoning, it is necessary to recognize the failure of the chosen policy and draw up a "plan B" and decide "what it will cost and how we will share this burden among ourselves." According to the Hungarian Prime Minister, the current leaders of the European Union "cannot solve the problem", so they should be changed at the next elections.
Vyacheslav Ivanov
Vyacheslav Viktorovich Ivanov is a military expert and historian.
