Thursday13 February 2025
gipoteza.net

The army is transitioning to a corps system: what changes can we expect in the Armed Forces of Ukraine?

The Ukrainian army is introducing new corps that will undertake combat missions in specific operational areas. FOCUS learned about the military's perspective on this innovation and how it may alter the situation on the front lines.
Армия внедряет корпусную систему: какие изменения ожидают ВСУ?

The reform of the organizational structure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) is currently underway, particularly with the implementation of a transition to a corps system. According to the Commander-in-Chief of the AFU, Oleksandr Syrskyi, February will be challenging for the Ukrainian army, but "the enemy will also have a tough time."

"I have defined the tasks for the relevant command and military management bodies. The enemy is not reducing the intensity of its attacks, and against this backdrop, we will be carrying out our tasks," said Oleksandr Syrskyi.

"Militarni" reported that army corps emerged with the advent of mass armies, as military operations expanded spatially and the management of formations became more complex. Corps allow for the creation of units capable of executing combat tasks in an independent operational direction. An army corps consists of several combat divisions or brigades and support formations.

Establishment of Corps: Military Perspectives

According to Deputy Commander of the 3rd Special Operations Brigade, Maksym Zhorin, the key factor is how the idea of creating corps will be implemented.

He noted that this significantly complicates the auditing of these units, their replenishment, etc.—in other words, all processes related to the formation of a new structure. However, overall, the military views the establishment of corps very positively, provided that the possibility for "corps to operate as cohesive units on a single front section and not scatter units from one corps across different directions" is maintained.

Ukrainian serviceman Danyil Yakovlev supports the idea of creating corps, which should take responsibility for a specific section of the front.

He is convinced that the creation of corps could significantly change the situation on the battlefield. Currently, the main issue on the front, which has persisted for several years, is the interaction and communication between adjacent units along the line of contact. The enemy is aware of this problem and often strikes at the junction of various units. With the establishment of corps, according to Yakovlev, it will be much harder for the enemy to cause disorganization.

It is worth noting that on February 3, Deputy Commander of the 3rd Special Operations Brigade Maksym Zhorin stated that the restructuring of the AFU and the establishment of corps would enhance command efficiency; however, there is a condition. It is crucial that all units of one corps fight in the same direction, rather than being dispersed along the entire front line.

On the same day, the Commander-in-Chief of the AFU Aleksandr Syrskyi outlined key tasks for the AFU in February. He emphasized that the situation at the front is complex, but the Defense Forces continue to effectively strike at the enemy's military targets.