Russia hastily deploys poorly-trained Airborne Division to Kherson Oblast – UK intelligence

Russia's Airborne Forces (VDV) have begun deploying the newly formed 104th Guards Airborne Division (GAD) in Ukraine for the first time, likely in Kherson Oblast, the UK Defense Ministry said on Twitter on Nov. 30.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced plans to re-establish the division in August, previously downsized to brigade size in 1998.

Read also: Russian forces face severe losses in last six weeks – UK intelligence

The division will likely include the 337^th regiment, an additional maneuver regiment, and the 52^nd Artillery Brigade.

With the addition of the 104^th GAD, the number of divisions in the VDV’s order of battle will increase to five. The report suggests, however, that the division is poorly trained and unlikely to meet the former "elite standards" of the Russian VDV.

VDV commander Col. Gen. Mikhail Teplinskiy, who is responsible for the Kherson sector, will control the 104^th GAD, intelligence officials said.

Read also: Ukrainian forces push Russian invaders back near Verbove, unconvincing evidence of allegedly ‘living’ Sokolov – ISW

Russian invasion forces likely no longer hold a trench line approximately one kilometer west of Verbove, and about 16 kilometers southeast of Orikhiv, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on Sept. 27.

This signals a substantial advance for Ukrainian forces in the conflict.

Exhaustion of "elite" Russian VDV units near Verbove and Novoprokopivka, and the  understaffing of further lines of Russian defense in the south, were listed as possible reasons for the retreat, the ISW said.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine