Russian border guards fear "Ukrainian raids" and complain about lack of equipment: ISW points to vulnerabilities

Russian border guards are afraid of "Ukrainian raids" on the territory of the Russian Federation and complain about the lack of equipment. In particular, they are not satisfied with the shortage of digital communication systems, attack and reconnaissance UAVs, as well as transportation and medical supplies.

The problem is relevant for almost all FSB border guard units, although some of them manage to solve it partially due to personal relations with commanders of military units of the Russian army. This is the subject of an analytical piece by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Russian border guards, just like the occupants in Ukraine, are concerned about the "limited capabilities and equipment" with which they have been provided by the Russian authorities. At the same time, they are afraid of the continuation of "Ukrainian raids" on the territory of the Russian Federation.

This, ISW analysts write, was stated by Russian propagandist Alexander Kots, who calls himself a "war correspondent." Kots, who was recently included in the Russian president's human rights council, complained that Russian authorities have poorly equipped border guards and have not provided them with enough digital communication systems, reconnaissance and attack drones, mobile transportation and medical supplies. According to him, almost all border guard units of the Russian Federal Security Service faced a shortage of the listed equipment.

"The military blogger noted that border guard units formed task forces to participate in the Soviet war in Afghanistan and were equipped with artillery, aviation and armored vehicles, which means that modern FSB border guard units need similar capabilities," ISW analysts wrote.

The propagandist also said that some units of the border service manage to partially solve the problem thanks to personal ties with the Russian military: from them they allegedly receive anti-tank missiles and mortars, which the state does not provide the border guards with.

The propagandist also called on the Russian authorities to provide better equipment, including self-propelled artillery systems and electronic warfare systems, to border guards, primarily in the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions bordering Ukraine.

"The military blogger's reference to the participation of Soviet border guards in the war in Afghanistan and the call for more sophisticated systems suggest that Russian border guards remain concerned about the threat of possible Ukrainian cross-border raids on Russia and Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory," the analysts concluded.

Recall, earlier ISW stated that the AFU advanced in the area of Bakhmut and in the west of Zaporizhzhya region. Meanwhile, in the Russian Federation, the Guard of Russia is recruiting ex-mercenaries of the PMC "Wagner" into its ranks. Those recruited in Rostov-on-Don are sent by the aggressor state to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine under the pretext of "protection of strategic facilities".

By recruiting ex-Wagner soldiers, analysts believe, the Russian authorities are trying to solve two problems: to subdue the remnants of this PMC and to strengthen the internal security apparatus in Russia.

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