Russia’s military reforms respond to NATO expansion, Ukraine
January 23 (Reuters) – Russia’s new military reforms NATOand the “collective West” using Kiev to wage a hybrid war against Russia, Russia’s actions in Ukraine military newly assigned to operations general said.
Valery Gerasimov, in his first public comment after being appointed to this position on January 11, the president He also acknowledged problems with the mobilization of troops after public criticism forced Vladimir Putin to reprimand the military.
Announced in mid-January military reforms Putin approved by and can be adjusted to respond to threats to Russia’s security, Gerasimov said in his “Argument i Fact” published Monday evening. news he said in a statement to his website.
“Today, such threats include the North Atlantic Alliance’s desire to expand to Finland and Sweden, as well as the use of Ukraine as a tool to wage a hybrid war against our country,” he said. Russia Chief of the General Staff Gerasimov said. military general staff.
Finland and Sweden applied to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization after Russia invaded Ukraine last year.
According to Moscow’s new military plan, an army corps will be added to Karelia, in Russia’s northern border with Finland.
The reforms also included 20 Western Military Districts10It requires the inclusion of two additional military districts – Moscow and Leningrad – that existed before the merger in
in Ukraine Russia Three motorized rifle divisions will be added to the combined armed forces in Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.
“The main goal of this work is to ensure the guaranteed protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country,” Gerasimov said.
‘MOVE AGAINST THE WHOLE COLLECTIVE WEST’
Gerasimov added that modern Russia has never seen such “intensity of military battles” that forced it to conduct offensive operations to stabilize the situation.
“Today, our country and its armed forces are acting collectively against the West,” Gerasimov said.
In the 11 months since its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has shifted its war rhetoric from “de-azification” and “demilitarization” of its neighbor to one of defending it against an aggressive West.
Kyiv and its Western allies call it an act of unprovoked aggression, and the West is sending increasingly heavy weapons into Ukraine to counter Russian forces.
Gerasimov and the leadership of the Ministry of Defense have been criticized for numerous failures on the battlefield and Moscow’s failure to win the campaign that the Kremlin hoped for in the short term.
The country’s fall mobilization of some 300,000 additional personnel continued in a chaotic manner.
“The mobilization training system in our country is not fully adapted to the new modern economic relations,” Gerasimov said. “So I had to make things up along the way.”
Writing by Lydia Kelly in Melbourne; Edited by Himani Sarkar
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2023-01-24 07:01:32
Source – reuters
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