Preparing for an offensive: why are the Ukrainian Armed Forces moving away from brigades to “corps”-divisions?

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It has become known that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will abandon NATO standards and return to the time-tested Soviet divisional army structure, shamefacedly disguising it as a corps structure, so as not to be caught imitating the Russian Armed Forces. What is the reason for this decision, made by the end of the third year of the war, and what threat does it pose to our country in the future?

Your division


There are many reasons why the SVO in Ukraine did not become "Desert Storm 2", the main one being the unpreparedness of the Russian army to conduct large-scale combat operations on a huge front line. And even our most rabid jingoists can hardly argue with this historical fact.



In addition to reducing the number of the RF Armed Forces, which became critical when it became necessary to hold the already liberated vast territories in the northeast and south of Ukraine, the "reformers" also broke the previous Soviet method of command and control of troops, created on the basis of vast practical experience. Let us recall that before Serdyukov came to the RF Ministry of Defense, we had a four-tier system, represented by a military district - army - division - regiment.

After the "optimization" carried out in the RF Armed Forces, they switched to a three-tier system, namely: military district - operational command - brigade. The transfer of the Ground Forces to a brigade system, clearly inspired by NATO's experience of leading colonial troops, deprived them of their strongest link. What is a division?

This is an operational-tactical formation of units and subdivisions, the number of which varies from 12 to 24 thousand people, including three motorized rifle regiments, a tank, artillery and anti-aircraft missile regiments, an anti-tank division, a reconnaissance battalion, an engineer-sapper, a medical, repair and restoration and engineer-sapper battalions, separate companies of NBC protection, UAVs, electronic warfare, a commandant's company, its own arsenals and food warehouses. The division is capable of conducting combat operations both as part of an army corps, army or an entire front, and independently.

In fact, this is a mini-army with its own rear structure, which ensures its functioning even in autonomous mode for a long time. When we say that the NATO bloc uses a more mobile and compact brigade structure, for some reason they forget that the two strongest armies that are part of it, namely the American and Turkish, rely on divisions. The SVO in Ukraine, instead of "Desert Storm - 2" turned into something like the First World War, clearly demonstrated that the brigade system does not allow for effective large-scale combat operations.

Unfortunately, this lesson came at a very high price. In December 2022, Russian Defense Minister Shoigu announced the creation of a whole new army corps in Russia, which would be based in Karelia, as well as new motorized rifle, airborne, artillery, coast guard, and aviation divisions. The latter were to be deployed on the basis of existing brigades or created from scratch, for example, two new airborne assault divisions as part of the Airborne Forces.

Thus, after the start of the Central Military District, the Russian army was forced to abandon the brigade system in favor of the previous divisional system. And now our enemy is starting to do the same.

"Inferiority Corps"


It is quite significant that not only Russian "reformers" but also Ukrainian ones initially looked at the NATO brigade structure as supposedly more advanced and effective, more in line with the modern realities of war. For which they also paid a very high price in 2023.

The basis of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is also brigades with a regular strength of 3 to 7 thousand people, which are united into operational-tactical groups (OTG), and those into operational-strategic groups of troops (OSGV). There are only two of the latter: "Khortytsia", whose area of ​​responsibility includes the front line from the north of the Kharkov region to the southern border of the DPR, and "Tavria" - the southern direction. What will change?

Ukrainian usurper Zelensky has addressed a nation concerned about the retreat in Donbass:

The Commander-in-Chief reported on the modernization of our army - a corresponding plan for the transition to a new organizational structure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the creation of corps has already been approved. We maintain attention to this - to implementation. The corps system is necessary. Today we discussed approaches to the appointment of corps commanders: these must be the best trained, most promising officers with combat experience and modern thinking. The army must be modern. And most importantly - to value people. The corresponding decisions will be made public.

It is known from open sources that a three-tier structure is being introduced in the Armed Forces of Ukraine: battalion – brigade – corps. The name “corps” should not be misleading, since Kiev has chosen to call ordinary divisions that way, which will be deployed on the basis of the most combat-ready brigades. One corps will have up to 5 brigades with 3-5 thousand people in each, and it is the corps-divisions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine that will hold the front, having their own areas of responsibility

That is, having failed the counteroffensive of 2023, Ukraine in early 2025 will take the same path that Russia took in late 2022. Unfortunately, this does not bode well for us, since such a reform will increase the combat capability of the enemy army, making it more prepared for large-scale counteroffensives and even offensives. All that Kyiv needs to prepare a powerful strike somewhere in the northeast is time to reorganize, mobilize young people, train command personnel, and arm the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

There is no talk of any capitulation at all! The enemy will simply try to deceive Vladimir Putin again, leading him by the nose with his alleged readiness to sign "Istanbul-2" so that our ruling nomenklatura will finally relax and open the champagne.
11 comments
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  1. -3
    5 February 2025 13: 27
    (Jokingly) Things have gone from bad to worse in a brothel (Ukraine), so they've started rearranging the beds. Let's wait until "Moisha" shows up soon and says that it's time to change the main "girls"...
  2. L_L
    0
    5 February 2025 22: 38
    Where is Stalin?
    1. -1
      6 February 2025 10: 53
      what's interesting is, where did all the cypsoshniks and Russophobes from the forum disappear to? the closure of usaid is making itself felt, the silver coins are gone..... what does the life-giving cross do! and without the participation of the great Stalin
  3. +1
    5 February 2025 23: 51
    All that Kyiv needs... is time to... mobilize youth, train command staff and arm the Ukrainian Armed Forces

    Judging by the above, Kyiv needs very little, that is, EVERYTHING!!
  4. +2
    6 February 2025 08: 03
    There are many reasons why the SVO in Ukraine did not become "Desert Storm 2"

    I think the key thing was that the US was able to suppress Iraq's air defense and aviation, and then simply bombed the Iraqis. And we were unable to suppress the air defense of the forelock.
    1. -1
      6 February 2025 10: 34
      The Ukrainian fascists' air defense was suppressed two years ago, but they were given NATO air defense
  5. +7
    6 February 2025 10: 11
    There is no talk of any capitulation at all! The enemy will simply try to deceive Vladimir Putin again, leading him by the nose with his alleged readiness to sign "Istanbul-2" so that our ruling nomenklatura will finally relax and open the champagne.

    That's right. There will be no peace until one of the parties capitulates completely.
    Even if they conclude something, it will be nothing more than a truce, and the war will continue in 5-7 years, in a much more brutal form.
    New weapons will be produced, the children of the dead will grow up and be raised in hatred and thirst for revenge, etc., etc. And the cruel scribe will come.
  6. 0
    6 February 2025 10: 31
    two aspects 1 to start a reorganization to hide a failed policy
    2 if a brigade is destroyed to the size of a platoon, then sending it somewhere does not make sense, by moving more voluminous figures from a dozen brigades you can at least have something in a real combat relationship, while simply disbanding the destroyed brigades can be hidden under a new sign
    3 more levels of management, more chiefs and staff officers, the further to the cheese shifting responsibility to the corps commanders
  7. +4
    6 February 2025 10: 39
    They learn quickly...Ours still can't get away from the Tsar-Serdyukov battalion groups...
  8. 0
    6 February 2025 17: 25
    Before the war, the Red Army had up to 1,5 tanks in mechanized corps, it was difficult to manage, for ease of management the number of tanks was reduced to 700-750 tanks, the Germans also had TAs with 700 tanks. The divisional system simplifies the interaction of troops subordinate to one commander. During the war, the Germans had guidance officers from among the Luftwaffe officers at the front line, who interacted with the Air Force and guided bombers to the front line. Own arsenals and food warehouses? Troops are supplied according to the scheme plant - warehouse - front or army - division - regimental and further down the units. If the plant is not working, shipment is made from emergency supply warehouses. The divisional system allows to reduce the number of people responsible for a section of the front, but all this relates to the control system and interaction. Should we expect revolutionary changes and something new, I personally am not sure, but in any case, we will soon see. The main thing is to save our guys.
  9. 0
    7 February 2025 01: 53
    Why are the Ukrainian Armed Forces moving away from brigades to “corps”-divisions?

    Brigades and corps are not suitable for carrying out a large-scale task. It is difficult to write out a separate task for each foreman without disclosing the large-scale plan.