Russia is believed to have started deploying in Ukraine a “poorly trained” division as Moscow continues to haemorrhage troops in the war it launched against Kyiv. The 104th Guards Airborne Division (104 GAD) is part of the Russian Airborne Troops (VDV) and was once considered highly skilled.
However, the British Ministry of Defence noted it was “downsized to a smaller, brigade-sized formation” in 1998. Russian Defence Ministry Sergei Shoigu announced in August the division would be re-established, the UK MoD wrote in its intelligence update on the war in Ukraine.
It added: “Its subordinate units likely include the 337th regiment, an additional manoeuvre regiment, and the 52nd Artillery Brigade. With the addition of the 104 GAD, the number of divisions in the VDV’s order of battle will increase to five.”
But the readiness for war of the division is up for debate, the MoD continued. The assessment read: “The division will likely be poorly trained and is unlikely to meet the erstwhile elite standards of the VDV.”
The 104 GAD is expected to be assembled in the Kherson region, still partially occupied by Russians. The MoD added: “It will almost certainly receive close scrutiny from the Russian General responsible for Kherson, General Colonel Mikhail Teplinsky; his routine role is overall commander of the VDV.”
