The Russians cheated: two fake brigades were invented and created in the Armed Forces - Forbes - Forbes

In February 2023, someone created accounts of the 88th Mechanized Brigade and the 13th Eger Brigade on social networks and began to publish photos of soldiers and equipment of new units. In March of that year, the local authorities of the Varas district, located in Rivne region, reported that both the 13th Eger Brigade, and the 88th Mechanized Brigade joined the Ukrainian forces in the area.

However, the analysts of the Militaryland project, which track the structure of the Ukrainian Land Forces, have suspected after they did not see any evidence of the participation of the 13th Eger Brigade or the 88th Mechanized Brigade in hostilities since the beginning of 2023. Recently, Militaryland appealed to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to confirm the existence of the brigade.

"According to the accounting data of the Main Department of Personnel as of October 21, 20124, the military organizational structures of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are a valid name" 88 separate mechanized brigade "was not given," - replied in the General Staff. Considering this answer, Militaryland analysts have come to the conclusion that the 13th Eger Brigade, most likely, does not exist.

"Given that people who stand behind these two fictitious units have never tried to raise money, it is unlikely that" brigades "were part of some carefully thoughtful financial scam," the material reads. Journalists stressed that it is more likely that both brigades are part of a psychological operation - the deliberate efforts of one of the Ukrainian military to deceive the Russians and make them believe that Ukrainians are stronger than they really are.