In its latest intelligence update, the UK’s Ministry of Defence has suggested that the Kremlin has “largely stopped” deploying soldiers in Battalion Tactical Groups (BTGs).
BTGs are highly organised and primed for military exchanges, including a battalion of between two to four companies backed by air defences, engineering, logistical support and artillery.
While they were once a hallmark of Russia’s invasion effort, the ministry said the war had exposed weaknesses in the BTG approach.
The MoD said: “Several intrinsic weaknesses of the BTG concept have been exposed in the high intensity, large-scale combat of the Ukraine war so far.
“BTGs’ relatively small allocation of combat infantry has often proved insufficient.
“Decentralised distribution of artillery has not allowed Russia to fully leverage its advantage in numbers of guns; and few BTG commanders have been empowered to flexibly exploit opportunities in the way the BTG model was designed to promote.”