Russia has reportedly deployed troops from its aerospace forces, dubbed “space infantry”, to defend the Kursk region due to a critical shortage of military personnel.
This unusual redeployment of forces originally tasked with strategic duties illustrates the growing challenges Russia faces in maintaining its defence lines along the Ukrainian border.
According to a report from Important Stories, citing both an anonymous source and open data, personnel from the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS), including those responsible for operating early warning systems for nuclear strikes and heavy bomber regiments, have been reassigned to ground infantry roles. This sudden transfer highlights the severe strain on Russia’s manpower reserves, as it attempts to fortify its positions in the border regions.
Aerospace Forces as Ground Troops
The report suggests that the so-called “space infantry” was deployed to defend the Kursk region in the face of severe personnel shortages. Troops from various units within the Aerospace Forces (VKS), including those stationed at bases supporting heavy bombers like the Tu-22M and Tu-95, have been repurposed into ground infantry units. These airbases, located in regions such as Altai, Irkutsk, and Saratov, are traditionally home to aircraft used in missile strikes on Ukrainian cities.
In May and June 2024, a new motorised rifle regiment consisting of VKS personnel was formed to bolster border defences. This regiment, composed of security guards, engineers, mechanics, and a small number of pilots, was stationed in the border areas just weeks before a Ukrainian military incursion in mid-July.
The decision to use VKS troops for ground combat underscores the growing pressure on Russian forces. Many of these troops were drawn from airbases and cosmodromes, facilities normally associated with highly specialised roles in Russia’s strategic defence infrastructure. For instance, troops were reassigned from “Ukrainka” airbase in the Amur region, a base responsible for strategic bombers that have played a key role in Russia’s aerial bombardment campaign.
Losses Among “Space Infantry”
Reports suggest that this unconventional infantry force has already suffered casualties. One notable loss was 22-year-old Ilya Romanov, a serviceman previously stationed at the 28th arsenal of the space forces in the Tambov region. Romanov went missing during combat near the village of Korenevo, marking the growing toll on these repurposed soldiers.
This repurposing of personnel from strategic facilities to ground combat units seems to have had immediate and tangible consequences. On 9 August, a column of VKS motorised rifle troops was reportedly destroyed near Rylsk in the Kursk region by a Ukrainian HIMARS strike. The same incident resulted in the wounding of 22-year-old Sergeant Vyacheslav Bondarenko, who had been transferred from an Amur region bomber base.
Strategic Implications
The deployment of VKS personnel as infantry is reflective of the broader challenges the Russian military faces as the war with Ukraine drags on. With manpower shortages reportedly becoming more acute, Moscow has been forced to improvise in its efforts to protect key border regions like Kursk from Ukrainian incursions.
Ukraine’s recent military operations in the Kursk region have highlighted its ability to use manoeuvre warfare to offset Russia’s advantage in numbers and equipment. Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggest that these Ukrainian incursions are designed to draw Russian forces away from the primary battlefronts, forcing them to divert troops and resources to defend previously secure rear areas.
The Kursk region, which shares a border with Ukraine, has been the site of increased military activity, with both sides conducting operations in and around the region. Ukraine’s tactics, involving rapid raids and long-range precision strikes, have added to the strain on Russian forces, which now find themselves having to defend a larger stretch of territory.
Read also:
Freedom of Russia Legion Urges Russian Troops to Surrender Amidst Kursk Battles
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