(ANSA) — ROME, AUGUST 10 — To bolster the offensive in Donbass and the defense against the expected Ukrainian counterattacks in the south, Russia has assembled a new key formation of ground forces, the Third Army Corps, stationed in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast to the east from Moscow. This was stated in a tweet from the UK Ministry of Defense’s updated intelligence report.
Russia likely plans to use newly formed “volunteer” battalions that will come from across the country, the report says. Russian regional officials confirmed that potential recruits will be offered cash rewards for fighting in Ukraine. The position is open to men up to the age of 50 and only with high school diploma.
A Russian army corps usually consists of 15,000 to 20,000 soldiers, but it will probably be difficult for Moscow to form battalions of this size, since popular enthusiasm for volunteer work in Ukraine is very low. According to the report, the effect of these military forces should not be decisive for the campaign. (HAND).
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