UK: Russia Likely Redeployed Major Elements of Airborne Forces to Eastern Ukraine

Members of the pro-Ukrainian Chechen battalion in the town of Bakhmut (Reuters)
Members of the pro-Ukrainian Chechen battalion in the town of Bakhmut (Reuters)
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UK: Russia Likely Redeployed Major Elements of Airborne Forces to Eastern Ukraine

Members of the pro-Ukrainian Chechen battalion in the town of Bakhmut (Reuters)
Members of the pro-Ukrainian Chechen battalion in the town of Bakhmut (Reuters)

Russia has lately redeployed major elements of its airborne forces to Eastern Ukraine, the UK Defense Ministry said in its latest Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine.

The ministry said the forces were likely redeployed to the Donetsk and Luhansk fronts in the Donbas.

Between September and October, most of the VDV units were dedicated to the defense of Russian-held territory west of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast.

Some weakened VDV units have likely been reinforced with mobilized reservists.

The Russian airborne forces are considered an elite unit, a separate branch of the armed forces. At the beginning of the war against Ukraine nine months ago, the troops were supposed to take over Kyiv with the support of ground forces, but they were confronted.



Türkiye’s Erdogan to Discuss Ukraine War with NATO Chief

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 19, 2024 (Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 19, 2024 (Reuters)
TT

Türkiye’s Erdogan to Discuss Ukraine War with NATO Chief

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 19, 2024 (Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 19, 2024 (Reuters)

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will discuss the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday during his visit to Ankara, a Turkish official said on Sunday.
Russia struck Ukraine with a new hypersonic medium-range ballistic missile on Thursday in response to Kyiv's use of US and British missiles against Russia, marking an escalation in the war that began when Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.
NATO member Türkiye, which has condemned the Russian invasion, says it supports Ukraine's territorial integrity and it has provided Kyiv with military support.
But Türkiye, a Black Sea neighbor of both Russia and Ukraine, also opposes Western sanctions against Moscow, with which it shares important defense, energy and tourism ties.
On Wednesday, Erdogan opposed a US decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles to attack inside Russia, saying it would further inflame the conflict, according to a readout shared by his office.
Moscow says that by giving the green light for Ukraine to fire Western missiles deep inside Russia, the US and its allies are entering into direct conflict with Russia. On Tuesday, Putin approved policy changes that lowered the threshold for Russia to use nuclear weapons in response to an attack with conventional weapons.
During their talks on Monday, Erdogan and Rutte will also discuss the removal of defense procurement obstacles between NATO allies and the military alliance's joint fight against terrorism, the Turkish official said.