Combat capability of elite Russian naval infantry units may have significantly decreased due to losses – UK Intelligence

UK intelligence, using the example of the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade of Russia, suggests that such elite units are now much less professional than at the beginning of the war, due to the additional backfilling because of heavy losses.

Source: UK Defence Intelligence, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The report was accompanied by satellite images of destroyed Russian equipment near Vuhledar, Donetsk Oblast, most likely belonging to the 155th Brigade.

The intelligence notes that, unlike Russian airborne troops, naval infantry was mostly not involved in the war against Ukraine as a single large formation, but were attached to separate units among different groups of Russian forces. Naval infantry has been tasked with some of the toughest tactical missions in the war and has suffered extremely high casualties.

"The supposedly enhanced capability of NI brigades has now almost certainly been significantly degraded because it has been backfilled with inexperienced mobilised personnel. This lack of experience is almost certainly exacerbating Russian officers’ tendency to micromanage, which in turn reduces operational agility," the report notes

UK intelligence believes that these naval infantry units will soon be committed back to the offensive near Vuhledar.

Previous reports have noted that the commander of this area will probably be required to show some gains to compensate for the devastating failures in February, but such advances are unlikely.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!