That is according to a latest the U.K. Defense Ministry’s Defense Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine.
“Russia has continued to redeploy regular units to the Bakhmut sector, as Wagner Group assault detachment complete their withdrawal to rear areas,” the update reads.
Read more: The UK Defense Intelligence: russia Struggles to Reach its Own War Aims as it Reacts to Ukrainian Actions
British analysts note that Russian VDV (airborne forces) have assumed an increasingly important role in Bakhmut: elements of the 76th and 106th divisions and two additional separate VDV brigades are now deployed to the sector.
The U.K. Defense Ministry’s Defense Intelligence states, that "the VDV is much degraded from its pre-invasion ‘elite’ status. However, Russian commanders have likely attempted to maintain some of these still relatively capable units as an uncommitted reserve."
"Because they have instead been forced to deploy them to hold the front line in Bakhmut, the whole Russian force is likely to be less flexible in reacting to operational challenges," the U.K. Defense Intelligence concludes.
As Defense Express reported earlier, The Commander of Ukraine’s Ground Forces Visited Positions, Planed Further Actions in Bakhmut Direction.
Read more: The UK Defense Intelligence Explained Smoke on Crimean Bridge on May 24
