Moscow’s “elite” given exclusive unit away from frontlines – British intelligence

A specialized unit, located far from the front, has been established for the Moscow "elite." Here, they can showcase their loyalty to the Kremlin without any risk.

The British Ministry of Defense reported that on Twitter.

As mentioned in the message, Elena Blinovska's husband, Oleksiy Blinovskyi, joined a Russian military unit in an attempt to stop her from being imprisoned for tax evasion. On April 16, 2024, he was photographed serving in a specialized unit of the Russian Armed Forces, "Bars Kaskad," near Ukraine.

According to British intelligence, Dmitriy Sablin, the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma for Defense, created this unit. The unit is primarily involved in unmanned aerial vehicle operations, usually far from the front lines.

It has been active since October 2022 and includes at least ten members of the United Russia party and the sons of Kremlin VIPs. It is reported that registered VIPs are provided with additional means of protection.

According to the British Ministry of Defense, joining Bars Kaskad will likely enable members of the Russian elite to evade the mandatory requirements of serving in the military while also ensuring their safety and potentially gaining favor with the Kremlin.

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It should be noted that, according to British intelligence, Russia recruits about 30,000 new soldiers to the army every month, which allows it to cover losses and continue the war against Ukraine.

According to the survey, most Russians support the war against Ukraine.

As of March 2024, only 16% of those surveyed were against the war, with an additional 9% unsure of their answer. The percentage of those anticipating a second round of mobilization has decreased in the past year. 48% of Russians believe it may be announced within three months.

Furthermore, Moscow plans to keep adding to the number of occupying forces. It has been predicted by British sources that Putin intends to mobilize an additional 170,000 individuals for the conflict with Ukraine.

Putin announced that by the end of the year, he will enlist an additional 500,000 Russians to join the fight against Ukraine, on top of the current 617,000 already fighting.