Russia will not have enough reserves for the February offensive in the Luhansk region - isw

According to analysts, the Kremlin will not be able to achieve promptly significant success, but operations of the Russian Federation in this area of ​​the front can gain momentum. In the Luhansk region, the phase of offensive operations of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continues, but they do not have enough poor reserves. This is stated in the report of the Institute of War Study of February 19.

Thus, analysts say that Russian land troops generally unfold and fight "in conventional doctrinal formation" and units, and not in battalion tactical groups or other special structures. "The absence of several critical tank units, which is observed, indicates that the Russian military continues to fight for the replacement of equipment, especially tanks lost in the process of previous unsuccessful offensive operations," the ISW report reads.

According to the institute, Russian troops are likely to still have several restored mechanized parts in the reserve, but the departure of these limited reserves to the front in the Lugansk region is unlikely to dramatically change the course of the offensive. At the same time, analysts are convinced that the Russian offensive will most likely last some time and can temporarily gain momentum as the last reserves are allocated.

However, the culmination of the offensive will go far from the goal and probably will not lead to promptly significant success. It is noted that the Russian military sent most of the ordinary elements belonging to the Western Military District (ZNO), on decisive offensive actions in the Luhansk region, leaving a relatively small number of elements or in the reserve or without observation.

We will remind, on February 19, the head of the Lugansk Ova Sergey Gaidai told that in the region active fighting continues in 3 directions: Swativsky, Kreminsky and in the Bigorivka district. In the Kremlin direction, the invaders try to break through the defense of Ukrainian defenders. Earlier, on February 16, the representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense Andriy Yusov confirmed that the escalation of the conflict was recorded in eastern Ukraine.