The aggressor country failed to implement its plans of covert mobilization and creation of 16 volunteer battalions. Rifle units were to be deployed in almost every region of the russian federation. Vadym Skibitskyi, a representative of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, said this on the air ‘Kyiv’ TV channel.

“According to confirmed data, 8 battalions were formed by the middle of July. This is not enough for the russian federation. These battalions were formed in any way. Anyone was recruited into their composition. Therefore, in order to conduct hostilities, russia decided to form a third separate Army Corps. It is currently undergoing formation in the Western Military District in order to use it as a unit against Ukraine. They announced their plans to form this corps by mid-August,” said the representative of Ukraine's military intelligence.

Skibitskyi also stated that the combat units of the russia’s occupying forces were understaffed with officers. According to him, the highest command echelon of the russian army did not fulfill the tasks set before it in February and March regarding the occupation of Ukraine, and was displaced. Also, the middle command link of the occupation units is significantly understaffed.

“According to the information that the military intelligence of Ukraine gets from various sources, in particular from radio intercepts, we see that the lack of officer personnel is simply catastrophic. They say in their conversations that there are no officers in the units or at all, and if there are, then none of them does not know and does not see. And we see this problem in the course of formation of the third Army Corps and other units that being formed by russia.

To ensure the presence of lower-level commanders in the units, they are forced to assign the rank of junior lieutenant to the sergeant ranks,” Vadym Skibitskyi said.