"Disintegrating" near Pokrovsk: what’s happening with the new Ukrainian brigades on the front lines, according to Forbes.

The new brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, formed in 2023-24, received inadequate training and lack sufficient armored vehicles and experienced commanders. At the same time, when tensions escalated near Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, they were thrown into the line of battle. Following this, reports emerged regarding losses, demoralization, and desertions. What could be the reasons for the emergence of problematic brigades and how can these issues be addressed, reported Forbes.

Problematic Brigades — Details

The publication references an investigation by Hromadske media and the OSINT group Militaryland. The investigations mention, among other things, the 157th separate mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which is "collapsing near Pokrovsk." The brigade is primarily composed of newly mobilized recruits. These recruits likely received insufficient training, leading to significant losses instead of effective combat actions. This situation has been described as "shocking," as supposedly "non-functional units" are being sent into battle. When such units arrived at the front and saw the line of trenches, some fled while others opted to merge with other brigades, investigators noted.

"Many observers are shocked that the Ukrainian army continues to reinforce the city with non-functional units, particularly the 155th and 157th mechanized brigades," Forbes wrote.

The article also explained that there are eight brigades in the Armed Forces of Ukraine numbered 150—151, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, and 159. All were formed in 2023-24 and found themselves at the front by the end of 2024, joining the "hot" defense of Pokrovsk. They all share common issues, Forbes emphasized:

• twice the number of traditional brigades, which in the Armed Forces usually consist of 2,000 personnel;
• inexperienced commanders;
• insufficient armored vehicles;
• low morale, leading to desertions.

Analysts suggest immediately withdrawing these brigades from the front and reforming them under new guidelines. Specifically, they propose taking 30 experienced fighters and adding recruits to them. This approach would allow individuals to gain experience from real combat veterans and foster cohesion.

The reasons behind the formation of new brigades instead of reinforcing the old ones are also explained. Forbes provided the perspective of OSINT analyst with the nickname Tatarigami_UA. In his opinion, the Ukrainian authorities aimed to impress their Western partners. The OSINT analyst stated that the new brigades were intended to demonstrate to the West that Ukraine is capable of continuing to fight and therefore has a large number of recruits.

"One can only hope that the brigades that have yet to be deployed, specifically the 156th, 158th, and 159th, will learn from these mistakes," concluded the publication, citing the opinion of the Militaryland analyst.

Issues with the 157th Brigade — Details

On January 24, Hromadske media published an article about the situation with the 157th Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. A relative of one of the soldiers spoke with journalists. She reported that there is "managerial chaos" in the unit, recruits are unprepared for combat, and they are being transferred to assault groups and sent to the front lines.

Meanwhile, in November 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reacted several times to accusations from partners about mobilizing 18-year-old Ukrainians. The head of state emphasized that partners did not provide weapons for 10 newly formed brigades while demanding the conscription of young fighters.

We remind you that law enforcement has opened a case against three top officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who commanded the defense of a section of the front in the Kharkiv region during the breakthrough of Russian Armed Forces in 2024.