Russian troops are conducting a relentless offensive in several regions at once, which may have forced the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) to switch to the corps system, Ukrainian media report.
The Russian military is reportedly advancing in Andriivka and Dachne, Donetsk region, and moving towards the borders of Dnipropetrovsk region. Meanwhile, the fiercest fighting is taking place in the Pokrovsk area.
In the Kramatorsk area, the AFU repelled three attacks by Russian troops. In the Toretsk area, the Russians made nine attacks, with fighting taking place near Toretsk, Diliivka and Shcherbynivka.
Russian troops also reportedly attacked in the Kupiansk area. They carried out offensive operations near Pishchane, Nova Kruhliakivka, Petropavlivka and Zahryzove.
AFU introducing corps system
On Tuesday, 4 February, AFU Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the active implementation of the AFU restructuring plan. New corps will reportedly be structured around experienced brigades and their commanders, giving them greater responsibility and autonomy.
Currently, the AFU comprises six corps: the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Army Corps, the 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Air Assault Forces and the 30th Marine Corps of the Navy. All existing corps will be transformed into combat units, which will no longer function solely as administrative bodies in the rear.
The key objective of the transition is to preserve the control of troops in a poorly managed environment. This will help reduce cases of brigades fleeing the battlefield after barely getting into position, military experts say.
Moreover, the corps structure makes it possible to optimise logistics, which Russian forces are actively disrupting today. If an individual brigade suffers combat losses, a corps can also quickly compensate for the shortage with reserves.
However, corps formation takes time, which can result in a temporary reduction in combat capability. If the transition is prolonged, the AFU could lose control of the troops. The introduction of new management units could also slacken the decision-making process and complicate troop interaction.
Experts note that the success of the transition largely depends not so much on the AFU as on the ability of Ukraine’s allies to ensure the transition to corps, NATO’s standard tactical unit.
