The Russian Armed Forces have seen an increase of 100,000 troops, facing Ukraine's forces across a 1,300-kilometer front line, speaker of the General Staff, Captain Dmytro Likhoviy, reports. To efficiently hold the line, integrating new forces into existing units isn't deemed viable.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces' General Staff is aware of the expansion of Russia's military, and the extension of the front line plays a crucial role in determining strategy. Moreover, reconstitution of a combat brigade requires integration exercises. These considerations justify the command's strategy of forming new brigades, said Likhoviy in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda.

Likhoviy clarified that along the extensive frontline, Russian forces possess "significant superiority, at times fivefold." With the addition of 100,000 new soldiers and new divisions, regiments, and brigades engaging in combat, the only way to counterbalance their numbers is to similarly expand Ukraine’s forces. The creation of new brigades, rather than reinforcing old ones, is therefore strategic, he said.

There is no other effective way to counter such superiority, particularly on a front stretching 1,300 kilometers with active engagements, he stated.

Likhoviy also addressed social media critiques targeting the General Staff’s decision not to fulfill the needs of frontline units, particularly those in dire need of personnel replenishment amid heavy battles. Indeed, these units require reinforcement, especially under relentless enemy advances. However, the armed forces currently lack the capacity to restore them as required.

To replenish a brigade, it must first be withdrawn from the front, with a replacement ready to hold the line. New recruits must undergo combat training—a process unfeasible in the midst of operations. Likhoviy underlined the need for trained and coordinated reserves, which is why new brigades are essential. In the event of a breakthrough, other seasoned units from calmer sectors are deployed.

Additionally, new brigades are necessary for the rotation and replacement of existing ones. Merely replenishing depleted brigades isn't sufficient, as such units need cohesion and coordination, according to journalists who cited Likhoviy.

Notably, in summer and autumn 2024, former national security committee member and MP Maryana Bezuhla voiced critical views regarding the formation of new brigades over the restoration of existing ones. She labeled the new units as "zombie brigades," criticizing them for hindering rotations. The MP also suggested that support personnel were being enlisted and that resources from partners were spread too thinly. Her proposal was to first restore existing brigades before new ones were issued.

In November, Bezuhla shared concerns about the deployment of medical personnel and technicians from airfields to the front. The General Staff clarified that these individuals were not made into infantry but used to reinforce stabilization points.

On November 4, Bezuhla spoke on the potential mobilization of women and "discrimination against men."

  War in Ukraine, Ukrainian Army

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