Russia has created new group of forces in temporarily occupied southern Ukraine - British intelligence

This is stated in a British intelligence report.

It is noted that on April 18, 2023, the Kremlin issued a press release on President Putin's visit to Russian-occupied southern Ukraine. The report says that the president visited the "Dnipro Group of Forces".

This is one of the first references to the existence of such a group, and Russia uses the term "group of forces" in a special way, indicating a large task-organised operational formation.

"The existence of an apparently new DGF suggests that the original force organisation has evolved, probably due to heavy losses. The DGF's mission is likely to defend the southern sector of the occupied zone, and especially the south-western flank, which is currently marked by the Dnipro river," the British Ministry of Defenсe said.

Analysts point out that at the beginning of the invasion, the Russian force was organised into groups of forces, each aligned to their home military district in Russia, such as the Western and Central Groups of Forces.

• On April 18, the Kremlin announced Putin's visit to the occupied Kherson and Luhansk regions. The Presidential Office responded.