Russia will create two new armies before the end of the year, the country’s defense minister Sergei Shoigu has announced, as fears grow that Moscow is planning for an eventual war with NATO.He said that the Russian military plans to form two combined arms armies (CAA) and 14 divisions, as well as 16 brigades, by the end of 2024.

However, a former British diplomat told Newsweek that Shoigu’s announcement did not signal a Russian attack on the West and was a re-statement of previous long-term structural plans approved by Vladimir Putin at the end of 2022.

In January 2023 Shoigu announced that Moscow would also create three new motorized rifle divisions and two new air assault divisions, as well as reorganizing seven motorized rifle brigades into motorized rifle divisions.

https://www.newsweek.com/shoigu-russia-putin-warning-west-1881669