Russia has brought occupied territories to the Southern Military District - British Intelligence

The captured settlements were subordinated to the command with the headquarters in Rostov-on-Don. According to the military, this is unlikely to affect the course of hostilities and successes of the Russian Federation at the front. The Russian military officially included occupied areas of Ukraine in their Southern Military District. This is stated in the report of the UK Ministry of Defense of February 4.

"On February 3, 2023, the Russian State Information Agency of TARS reported that Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions are under the control of a three-star command with the headquarters in Rostov-on-Don," the statement reads. According to British intelligence, this happened after the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoiga stated in January that the expansion of military presence would include the creation of "self -sufficient forces" in Ukraine.

According to the British military, this step emphasizes the fact that the Russian Federation seeks to integrate the recently captured territory into a long -term strategic position. At the same time, the UK intelligence is convinced that this is unlikely to have a direct impact on the course of the Russian military campaign in Ukraine.

We will remind, on January 23 it was reported that the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergey Shoigu spent rocking commander of two military districts. The Western Military District, previously led by Sergey Kuzovlev, was now headed by Lieutenant General Yevgeny Nikiforov. Kuzovlev, in turn, will command the Southern Military District. Earlier, on February 18, Shoigi promised Putin to reform the Russian army for three years.