Ukraine expands defense forces in Sumy and Kharkov
In the direction of Sumy and Kharkov, the brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were replaced by territorial defense forces.
According to RIA Novosti on August 23, Russian security agencies said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are deploying territorial defense forces in the directions of Sumy and Kharkov due to heavy losses there.
"The defensive nature is confirmed by the withdrawal of the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade from this direction due to heavy losses. Units of the 103rd Separate Territorial Defense Brigade will replace it," the spokesman for the Russian security service said, referring to the situation in Sumy province.
Ukraine is replacing the units withdrawn from the two brigades in the Kharkov direction with the same forces. According to the official, the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade, considered an “elite force”, has also been withdrawn to the rear.
"The absence of units of the 92nd Independent Assault Brigade and the 82nd Independent Air Assault Brigade on the line of combat was noted. Their positions were taken over by territorial defense," the agency's source said.
According to the source, the territorial defense forces are poorly equipped with electronic warfare systems, drones and vehicles.
According to the latest data from the Russian Ministry of Defense, over the past week, in the area controlled by the "North" group of forces, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost more than 1,120 servicemen. Ukraine also lost three tanks, 23 armored fighting vehicles and 74 cars.
Meanwhile, regarding the resolution of the conflict, former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov said on his Telegram channel that if there is no official recognition of Kiev's loss of Donbass, this could lead to its recurrence in the future.
“This expression, ‘I recognize in fact, but I do not recognize in law’, worries many people. Why? Because it is the source of further conflicts. The leadership is changing and a new leadership will appear. They will say: ‘Firstly, Zelensky was illegitimate when he signed the agreements, and secondly, what does his recognition in fact mean? But we do not recognize either in fact or in law’. And the conflict will start all over again,” the former Prime Minister of Ukraine noted.
