British Defence Intelligence Update Ukraine

Russia has recently started extending defensive positions along its international border with Ukraine, and deep inside its Belgorod region. On 6 December 2022, the governor of Belgorod announced he was establishing local ‘self-defence units’.
Trench digging has been reported in Belgorod since at least April 2022, but the new constructions are probably more elaborate systems, designed to rebuff mechanised assault.
There is a realistic possibility that the Russian authorities are promoting defensive preparations within internationally recognised Russian territory to burnish patriotic feeling.
However, it probably illustrates some Russia decision-makers’ genuine (but false) belief that there is a credible threat of invasion by Ukrainian forces.
Paucity in strategic assessment is one of the critical weaknesses in the central Russian government architecture: as highlighted by Russia’s original decision to invade Ukraine.
Impartial official analysis is almost certainly frequently undermined by a tendency toward group-think and politically expedient conclusions.

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here
You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

Kyiv Post

The Kyiv Post is Ukraine's English-language newspaper and proud winner of the 2014 Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism. The newspaper's first print edition came out on Oct. 18, 1995, and went online in 1997.