Russia deploys 35,000 national guards against Ukrainian guerrillas

Newsweek quoted a source from the National Resistance Center of Ukraine (CNR) as saying that Russian President Putin has deployed nearly 35,000 national guards to conduct operations to prevent Ukrainian resistance in the uncontrolled territories in the east and south of the country.

According to the newspaper, Russia now controls large areas of southern and eastern Ukraine, where Moscow has formed an administration and appointed officials since the fall of 2022.

Ukraine launched the National Center of Resistance (CNR) in March 2022 after the conflict erupted a month earlier. The CNR, under the direction of the Special Operations Forces, helps coordinate and train Ukrainian guerrillas living in Russian-controlled areas in the south and east of the country.

Members of the Russian National Guard rehearse for the Victory Day parade, on May 4, 2023, in Moscow. (Photo: Getty Images)

According to CNR, the Russian National Guard, also known as Rosguard (or Rosgvardia), is the “second most important component” of Russia’s forces in Ukraine. According to Ukrainian sources, the force deployed to the territories is tasked with suppressing Ukrainian resistance by “screening the activities of the population and identifying members of the underground movement.”

As of January, at least 35,000 Rosguard members had been sent to Russian-controlled Ukrainian territories. The Ukrainian military said that about half of Moscow’s guards were organized into “regular formations,” including one brigade, five tactical battalions and 44 tactical groups.

The other half of Rosguard includes people transferred from Russia's Special Police and Special Rapid Response Units, according to a statement from CNR on January 7.

The Ukrainian Resistance Center said the guardsmen deployed from Russia are equipped with tanks, artillery systems and helicopters. They are also believed to have played a role in protecting polling stations during Russian-organized elections in their part of Ukraine in September 2022 and 2023. Kiev expects the Rosguard to also play a role in Russia’s presidential election in March.

Grom special forces, formerly under the Ministry of Internal Affairs , have been transferred to the control of the Russian National Guard (or Rosguard), allowing the unit to be deployed to the front line in Ukraine. (Photo: Reuters)

While fighting continues to rage along the frontline, Ukrainian guerrillas living in Russian-controlled territories have also carried out a number of attacks on personnel sent by Moscow to these areas.

CNR also reported on such activities by this force, including disrupting supply rail lines and targeting Russian soldiers in several poisoning plots.

Last week, CNR reported that a Ukrainian guerrilla movement in Crimea had launched an attack on a Russian radar system and control center on the peninsula. Kiev said the center was “responsible for ensuring secure communication with the Kremlin, including coordination of the entire peninsula’s air defense system.”

(Source: Tin Tuc Newspaper)

Source: https://vtc.vn/nga-trien-khai-35-000-ve-binh-quoc-gia-chong-du-kich-ukraine-ar846563.html