"LPR and DPR" bring great political, diplomatic and financial costs for Russia - British intelligence

This was reported by the British Defense Ministry on Twitter.

As noted, the armies of the so-called LPR and DPR were officially included in the Russian forces on December 31, 2022. And Putin presented the formations with their battle flags during his visit to Rostov-on-Don.

"Russia claims the LNR and DNR are intrinsic parts of Russia following the fixed accession referendums of September 2022. However, it has discreetly controlled both since 2014, creating DNR’s 1st Army Corps and LNR’s 2nd Army Corps and supporting them with Russian military officers," the statement said.

British intelligence, the status and identity of the "DPR" and "LPR" are likely to remain a matter of disagreement within the Russian system. Even before the invasion in February 2022, these territories required significant expenditures of Russian finances.

"Now the Kremlin has overtly committed to supporting them, they will likely constitute a large political, diplomatic and financial cost for Russia which will last well beyond the current phase of the conflict," the British Ministry of Defence added.