Who Are The Storm Z Units
Who Are The Storm Z Units

Will Storm Z Replace Wagner on the Ukrainian Battlefield?

Russia claimed that when it withdrew from the conflict areas in Ukraine, there were sufficient resources to replace Wagner's failed uprising.

At this point, when both Kiev and Moscow have announced fierce fighting in eastern and southern Ukraine, the question is: who will replace Wagner?

The remaining prisoners from the so-called Storm-Z companies are being transferred by Russia to restock the Volunteer Corps, according to the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.

A special commission led by Major General Oleg Polguev, the deputy chief of staff of the Russian occupation forces in Ukraine, was established by the military leadership of the Russian Federation to accomplish this.

According to intelligence, the commission has ordered the transfer of about 2,000 members of the "special contingent" to the war zone after they have received training at facilities in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories.

What is the Difference Between Storm Z and Wagner?

Storm Z is said to not include mercenaries like Wagner, instead, the group is a mix of regular reservists and conscripts.

Russia's Storm Z unit label Wagner leader Prigozhin a 'rat' after calling off mutiny. In late June 2023, a number of Storm Z fighters announced their support for Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin's brief rebellion against the Russian military leadership.

Who Are The Storm Z Units And How Are They Organized?

Who Are Storm Z Units
Russian troops from a 'Storm' unit

Early in July 2023, The Washington Post (USA) reported: On the outskirts of Bakhmut, the Ukrainian side first came across a force known as Storm Z.

The Russian Defense Ministry is said to be in charge of this force, which was dispatched to take the place of the infamous mercenary lish unit Wagner, according to the American press. Following the Wagner uprising, Storm Z was recently mentioned in Russian media as well.

On April 6, 2023, Ukraine obtained documents outlining the recruitment and formation of this force, which led to the discovery of Storm Z units. According to The Washington Post, Storm Z is made up of a mix of reserve members, conscripts, and convicted criminals.

While this was going on, documents obtained by the Ukrainian side revealed that Storm Z members were chosen from Russian prisons, a practice reminiscent of Wagner's own similar recruitment strategy. Reduced sentences and a salary of 205,000 rubles (more than 2,200 dollars) per month are promised to Storm Z fighters for the duration of the contract.

Earlier this year, Wagner was reportedly prohibited from recruiting soldiers from prisons and instead assigned to other units, such as Storm Z. Wagner's attack strategy and structure are used by Storm Z attack units.

Each Storm Z unit will have 100 members, divided into the following groups: the command team (2 people), the target capture teams, the fire support teams, and the attack teams. soldiers (5 people), an 8-person reconnaissance team, a 3-person medical evacuation team, and a 2-person drone team.

Storm Z will be deployed alongside Russian forces such as tank regiments and motorized rifle brigades. To seize territory, they will engage in combat operations in densely populated areas or other challenging terrain. Fortresses, command posts, and communication hubs are examples of strategically significant locations.

Before engaging in combat, Storm Z members trained for only a few days—between 10 and 15—primarily in the Donetsk cities of Bakhmut and Avdiivka.

How are Storm Z's Combat Capability?

As President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to Lithuania for a NATO summit, fierce fighting and Russian drone attacks on Ukrainian cities persisted this week.

Around Bakhmut, things are particularly tense. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' spokesman, Andriy Kovaliov, stated: "Ukraine continues to attack north and south of Bakhmut. In the direction of Bila, we have been successful in a number of locations. Bila Hora-Kurdyumivka and Hora-Andriivka.

One of the bloodiest and longest battles in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict took place in Bakhmut. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner forces' commander, claimed in May to have fully taken control of Bakhmut, marking Russia's lone significant territorial victory this year. Wagner then left Bakhmut and turned the city over to the Russian regular army.

On the outskirts of Bakhmut, the Ukrainian counterattack now encounters Storm Z, Wagner's replacement. Kiev miscalculated this group's capacity for combat, though. Members of Storm Z had alcohol addictions, engaged in looting, and were prone to deserting, according to the General Intelligence Service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

Additionally, The Telegraph (UK) reported that even though Mr. Prigozhin was not Wagner, many Storm Z fighters once regarded him as their unofficial commander-in-chief. Several Storm Z fighters declared their support for Wagner's uprising in late June.

According to Bloomberg News on July 4, which cited data from European intelligence officials, Russia was getting ready to send more Chechen fighters and prisoners to Ukraine to fill Wagner's absence. It is unclear what Storm Z's capabilities are or if they are comparable to what Wagner accomplished in Bakhmut.

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