Russia may send units of 1st Guards Tank Army to Belarus - British intelligence

This was reported by the British Ministry of Defense.

"To the north, elements of Russia’s 1st Guards Tank Army were probably amongst the Russian forces recently deployed to Belarus," British intelligence writes.

It is noted that this formation probably conducted training before deployment. Agency stressed it is unlikely to have the support units necessary to bring it to combat readiness.

The intelligence also informed that over the last 48 hours the fighting has been concentrated near Svatove in the Luhansk region and around Bakhmut direction in the Donetsk region.

"Russia continues to initiate frequent small-scale assaults in these areas, although little territory has changed hands," the report says.

• On December 26, British intelligence assessed the effectiveness of the defensive positions that the Russians are arranging in the temporarily occupied territories.