Russia will deploy all mobilized personnel from occupied Crimea into combat operations against Ukraine starting April 1, according to Ukraine’s Southern Defense Forces.
Russia’s growing reliance on mobilized personnel, alongside ongoing redeployments in response to Ukrainian counterattacks in the south, likely reflects mounting battlefield losses and is complicating its ability to prepare for a broader offensive.
Crimeans to be sent to front despite earlier pledge
Ukrainian military spokesperson Col. Vladyslav Voloshyn told Interfax-Ukraine that all individuals mobilized by Russian authorities in Crimea will now be sent to the front, despite earlier claims that residents of the occupied peninsula would not be required to fight.
According to Voloshyn, the mobilized personnel will be used to replace wounded soldiers and reinforce frontline units already engaged in combat against Ukrainian forces.
Partially recovered troops cycled out for new conscripts
He added that some will effectively take over roles from troops who have returned from treatment but are no longer fit for frontline duties, pointing to a system where even partially recovered personnel are being cycled out to make room for new manpower.
The Institute for the Study of War assessed that Russia may be resorting to deploying mobilized personnel due to continued heavy losses and difficulties recruiting enough volunteers to sustain its war effort.
Naval infantry unit in Crimea set to expand
Voloshyn also said the Russian military command plans to expand one of its naval infantry units based in Crimea into a larger formation, part of a broader restructuring effort as Moscow seeks to maintain combat capacity.
At the same time, Russian forces are being redeployed to southern Ukraine, where Ukrainian counterattacks have increased pressure along parts of the front line.
Russia moves units south ahead of expected April fighting
Voloshyn said additional units are being moved into the area and could be committed to combat as early as April, particularly in sectors of Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions where fighting has intensified.
He added that Russian forces are also reinforcing units in the south with reserve troops and transferring hundreds of armored vehicles to support operations.
ISW previously reported that elements of these forces had already begun shifting into the area in recent weeks, likely in response to Ukrainian actions.
Russian forces under pressure on multiple fronts
According to ISW, these developments suggest that Ukrainian counterattacks are forcing Russia to divert manpower and equipment, complicating its ability to prepare for a broader offensive campaign.
The need to deploy all available mobilized personnel from Crimea, alongside continued redeployments and reinforcement efforts, points to the pressure on Russian forces as they attempt to sustain current operations while preparing for the next phase of the war.
