Crimea residents to be sent into combat against Ukraine: Defense Forces reveal Russian plans
Russia’s military command has once again broken its own promises and, starting from April 1, plans to send all those mobilized in temporarily occupied Crimea directly into the combat zone.
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Russia sends mobilized Crimeans to the front / © Getty Images
The occupation authorities in Crimea are preparing an unwelcome development for residents of the seized peninsula. Despite earlier statements that Crimeans would not take direct part in the war, the Russian command has decided on their mass deployment in combat operations against Ukrainian forces.
Details of new orders from Russia’s General Staff and preparations for April offensives were outlined by Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesman for Ukraine’s Southern Defense Forces, in comments to Interfax-Ukraine.
Crimeans to the front, wounded to the rear
According to Voloshyn, from April 1 all servicemen mobilized by Russia in Crimea will be assigned to frontline duties. Russian forces are currently carrying out a full rotation of personnel in the 810th Separate Naval Infantry Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet, based in Sevastopol. Some of these units are already engaged in fighting in Russia’s Kursk region, while others form part of the “Crimea” grouping.
Combat-ready Crimeans are to be sent to the front, while their positions on the peninsula will be filled by Russian servicemen who have completed treatment for injuries and are no longer fit for assault operations. The 810th brigade itself is expected to be expanded into a full naval infantry division.
“Russians promised that Crimeans would not fight, but now participation in combat has become mandatory for them,” Voloshyn said.
Military buildup in Donetsk region and the south
At the same time, Russian forces are actively redeploying reserves to reinforce their groupings on other sections of the front. According to Ukrainian intelligence, the following steps are being prepared:
- Naval infantry redeployment: two divisions are being moved to temporarily occupied areas of the Donetsk region. After reinforcement, they are expected to be used in assaults in April on the Oleksandrivka and Huliaipole directions.
- Reinforcements from Moscow: two motorized rifle divisions in the south are to be strengthened with reserve regiments from the Moscow Military District.
- Equipment transfers: following an assessment of losses, 265 units of military equipment are being transferred to occupied Donetsk region for distribution among units.