Military intelligence: 400,000 Russian soldiers occupy Ukrainian lands
Russia has currently deployed over 400,000 soldiers in Ukrainian territory, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) spokesperson Andrii Yusov said during a KYIV24 television broadcast on Oct. 23.
"There are enough forces for separate operations in certain areas of the front. And the occupier's group in Ukraine in the temporarily occupied territories, we remind you, is more than 400 thousand Russian servicemen," Yusov said.
Subscribe to newsletter
War Notes
Despite what Yusov described as "a considerable number of personnel," the HUR spokesperson said he did not anticipate a Russian winter offensive on the same scale as that of February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
"We are not talking about a repeat of the scenario that happened in February 2022. But in certain areas, yes, the enemy will continue to try to conduct separate offensive operations," he said.
The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Oct. 23 that Russian forces launched attacks on multiple sectors of the eastern front, including near Avdiivka, Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, and Marinka.
In addition to a heavy concentration of Russian military personnel, Yusov said "new weapons are being decommissioned and delivered to the front."
Yusov also reported that Russia continues conducting new rounds of mobilization.
Mobilization campaigns have proven deeply unpopular in Russia, and U.K. intelligence reported on Oct. 10 that Moscow would likely avoid further rounds before the March 2024 presidential elections.
Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russia attacks in multiple directions on eastern front
We’ve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
