The British Defence Ministry on Saturday said that the Russian military probably hopes to incorporate recently occupied land into its "long-term strategic posture.", APA reports citing Teletrader.
The ministry's comments refer to reports which indicated that Russia formally integrated the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, as well as the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions into the Russian Southern Military District. According to the British assessment, the move is not likely "to have an immediate impact on the campaign."
The reports in question came after Moscow announced it will be expanding its military to include the formation of self-sufficient force units in Ukraine.