UK intelligence: Russia deploys new army to frontline

Russia has highly likely committed elements of its new 25th Combined Arms Army (25 CAA) to action for the first time since mid-September 2023.

“The formation started moving into Ukraine from late August 2023,” Caliber.Az reports, citing the UK Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine.

“Units from two of 25 CAA‘s manoeuvre components, 67th Motor Rifle Division and 164th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade, are reported to be fighting on the front in a sector west of Severodonetsk and Kreminna, along the border between Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts,” the intel data says.

According to the report, since the start of the invasion, Russia has only rarely maintained an uncommitted army-size grouping which could potentially form the basis of a major new offensive thrust.

“With 25 CAA apparently being deployed piecemeal to reinforce the over-stretched line, a concerted new Russian offensive is less likely over the coming weeks,” it added.