Russia Ukraine war live: Putin planning new ‘assault units’ despite Moscow’s ‘mobilisation issues’

Putin is allegedly trying to create new Russian ‘assault units’ according to US based war monitoring think-tank.

Russian military officials are reportedly ‘already actively recruiting’ in an effort to build out their armed forces and break through layered defences, says the think-tank the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

The ISW notes that Russian outlet Izvestia, citing sources in the Russian military, claimed on September 25 that the new units will be comprised of assault troops intended to break through layered defenses and troops that will conduct reconnaissance, or scouting, at “tactical depth.”

It was reported by the ISW that each brigade will receive tanks, light armored vehicles, artillery, and various drones.

The new brigades are designed to overcome prepared Ukrainian defensive positions, particularly in areas of Donbas – which Kyiv has been equipping for defence since 2014.

Colonel Valery Yuryev, who is chairman of the Russian Union of Paratroopers, told Izvestia that the war had stressed the “need to have specialised units for storming fortified areas” and that “separate assault units and formations are necessary.”

However the ISW say it is ‘unclear’ how Moscow will be able to recruit, train and staff the new recruits, given the “multitude of endemic mobilisation issues the Russian army faces at this time”.

Ukraine has fought back courageously against Mr Putin’s warped bid to restore territory lost to Moscow with the collapse of the Soviet Union and has continued to defy the odds by defending itself against Russian onslaughts with the help of Western military aid.

Five Bulgarians have appeared in court charged with spying and carrying out surveillance to assist the Russian state.

The three men and two women are accused of conspiring to gather information that would be useful to an enemy between August 2020 and February this year.

Orlin Roussev, 45, of Princes Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk; Bizer Dzhambazov, 41, of High Road, Harrow, north-west London; Katrin Ivanova, 31, of the same Harrow address; Ivan Stoyanov, 31, from Bannister Close, Greenford, west London; and Vanya Gaberova, 29, from Churchfield Road, Acton, west London, are charged with conspiring to collect information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy for a purpose prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state between 30 August 2020 and 8 February 2023.

Ukraine’s forces have made a number of breakthroughs against Russian positions in recent weeks as intense fighting rages on in southern and northeastern parts of the country.

A makeshift memorial with Ukrainian flags inscribed with the names of fallen service members has been put up in the country’s capital Kyiv.