Deputy Chief of DIU: Russia still plans offensives in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions
According to Ukrinform, this was reported by Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
“In January, they fulfilled their recruitment plans by 107%. This issue remains relevant, and the Russian authorities have no problem manning the troops and replenishing losses,” Skibitskyi said.
He reminded that the enemy has identified the most urgent areas of combat operations - Pokrovsk, Toretsk and Chasiv Yar - to complete all the operations they have planned. In addition, Russia does not abandon its plans to conduct assault and offensive operations in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Answering the question whether there is a threat of a Russian offensive in the southern regions, Skibitskyi said: “Yes, the threat remains. Let's look at the statements made by the leadership of the Russian Federation. The Kremlin has repeatedly stated that both Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions are 'new territories' of Russia, which are 'inscribed in the Russian constitution', and that they will do everything to ensure that these territories are under Russian control.”
Regarding the threat of offensive actions on the territory of Dnipropetrovsk region, the representative of the DIU noted that it depends on whether the Russian Federation will fulfill the task of reaching the borders of Dnipropetrovsk region.
“If Russia succeeds, the threat of any assault or reconnaissance operations increases, and it also reduces the combat radius of the enemy's artillery and multiple launch rocket systems to strike our infrastructure,” Skibitskyi said.
Commenting on the issue of recruitment in Russia, he said that the number of contract soldiers in the Russian army will increase from 15% to 30% this year.
“By 2025, according to Russian plans, approximately 30% of those people who seem to be voluntarily joining the army will be people who are under investigation, in prison, or serving a suspended sentence. And the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is already facing this problem: what to do with these people, how to work with them. In 2024, there were 15% of such a contingent - they are called special forces - and now there will be 30%,” said the Deputy Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.
Skibitskyi also said that the large payments received by Russian contract soldiers make it easy to replenish the army.
“They are offered high salaries, a very large down payment, which they receive for signing the first contract. In most regions of Russia, it is more than 2 million rubles. That is, a Russian serviceman who signs a contract, depending on the region, can receive from 20 to 25,000 dollars literally at a time,” said the DIU representative, adding that in 2024, the plan for manning the army through contract service was not only fulfilled, but exceeded by at least 10 thousand servicemen. This is due to the fact that Russian mercenaries receive one-time payments from the Russian Ministry of Defense for signing a contract, payments from local authorities, and payments from the enterprises where the soldier works. In addition, each region of the Russian Federation has a clear plan for how many people they should recruit into the armed forces. And Russia has a very serious responsibility if this plan is not fulfilled, Skibitskyi added.
As reported by Ukrinform, more than 10,000 men were “mobilized” to the Russian army in 2024 from the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions and partially from Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Photo from open sources
