Shoigu announced plans to form two new armies and 14 divisions – Kommersant

The head of the Ministry of Defense Sergei Shoigu announced at the department’s board that by the end of the year it is planned to form two combined arms armies and 13 formations, including 14 divisions and 16 brigades. He promised to continue improving the composition of the army “in proportion to emerging threats to the country’s military security.”

Mr. Shoigu clarified that the Dnieper River Flotilla and a brigade of river boats of the flotilla have already been formed within the ministry’s structure. Russia will also continue to strengthen its forces in the southwestern direction, where, according to him, “a difficult situation remains” due to the military operation in Ukraine. In particular, more than 16 thousand units of modern weapons and military equipment will be supplied to the Southern Military District (SMD). Also in the Southern Military District, the construction and commissioning of more than 360 military infrastructure facilities are being completed, the minister added.

The head of the Ministry of Defense claims that groups of Russian troops “continue to push the enemy out of their positions and do not allow them to gain a foothold on new lines.” He assures that the United States and its allies are “extremely concerned about the successes” of the Russian army, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to argue for the need to supply weapons to Ukraine.

February 26, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree, which recreated the Moscow and Leningrad military districts instead of the Western Military District. The president also included the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions in the Southern Military District. Sergei Shoigu saidthat the Leningrad and Moscow military districts were created due to NATO expansion. Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry Sergei Lavrov saidthat additional weapons will be placed there.

Read about what happens after the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine in online broadcasts “Ъ”.

Laura Keffer