A military handbook may provide insight into new tactics used by the Russian military in Ukraine. The Wagner group apparently serves as a model.
Munich – There is apparently a military stalemate in many places in eastern Ukraine. In the face of the Ukrainian defenses, Russian troops cannot advance against heavy attacks or – if at all – only with great difficulty. Because of the constant military failures, the Russian military is now apparently changing tactics in the Ukraine war. It seems to be oriented towards the Kremlin-affiliated mercenary group Wagner.
Ukraine War: Russian military regroups
This emerges from a Russian military handbook that Ukrainian soldiers said they found. A Ukrainian reserve officer tweeted the contents of the book, said to belong to a newly formed “assault force.” Accordingly, the new grouping was optimized for frontal attacks against fortified areas. The manual also shows in detail the exact formation and weapons of the new formation.
- Six T-72 main battle tanks
- 12 infantry fighting vehicles
- Multiple Rocket Launcher
- anti-tank missiles
- artillery
- mortar
According to the reserve officer, the entire force consists of three smaller attack companies and one armored force. Each assault company, which has one tank and four infantry fighting vehicles, consists in turn of the following composition:
- command group
- two attack troops
- a drone team
- an infantry fighting vehicle group
- Fire Support Group
- Artillery Support Group
- reserve department
- Medical department
According to the manual, the primary maneuvering elements of the Russian military’s new formation are the assault troops of 12 to 15 Russian soldiers. They are apparently to be divided into tactical groups of three soldiers each.
Putin’s soldiers change tactics in the Ukraine war: New Russian formation based on the Wagner model?
Behind the new tactics is apparently the plan to replace the hitherto customary so-called battalion combat groups with smaller and more mobile groups. According to the manual, Russian troops now only use their main battle tanks for fire support instead of direct combat. In view of the heavy losses in battle tanks and armored vehicles, Russia wants to protect the remaining equipment with this, wrote the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Recently, Ukrainian soldiers used US mines to hunt down Russian tanks.
Overlooking the massive Mobilization of inexperienced and poorly trained Russian recruits In the Ukraine war, the new tactics could yield another advantage. According to the ISW, the Russian army is using a simplified form of warfare, which at the same time is adapting to the heavy losses in equipment and personnel.
The US think tank, citing the Ukrainian reserve officer, also points out that the Russian military’s new formation is based on the tactics of the Wagner mercenary force around the embattled town of Bakhmut. The situation in the city is apparently getting worse. The ISW had already announced in an earlier situation report that Wagner was setting himself up in small and mobile groups in order to carry out frontal attacks without depending on artillery aid.
However, massive breakthroughs against the Ukrainian defense are unlikely with this formation. After all, they are too small and could therefore simply be destroyed – which will very likely lead to a further weakening of Russian combat strength, the US institute said. (bb)
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