 Russia lacks soldiers for new military districts due to war in Ukraine. UK intelligence. Russia is rapidly bolstering its military presence following the establishment of the Leningrad Military District with speculations rife that these forces could be deployed for a potential conflict with Ukraine according to the UK Ministry of Defence. Announcements have surfaced regarding recruitment drives for personnel into the newly formed 44th Army Corps in Luga within the recently established Leningrad Military District. Russia is making efforts to expand its forces in the northwest of the country as most of its forces remain dedicated to operations in Ukraine, the statement reads. British intelligence suggests that Russia is likely grappling with the decision of whether to station new units such as the 44th Army Corps in their garrisons following their creation or to deploy them for operations in Ukraine to bolster their combat capabilities. Newly established units have previously been immediately committed to Ukraine and it is almost certain that the need to sustain operations in hampering Russia's wider force, expansion ambitions, noted the UK Ministry of Defence. Previously, British intelligence has reported that Moscow's plans to establish two new armies this year would face shortages in new equipment and infrastructure issues. However, there will be an ample supply of soldiers. The Russian Federation has swelled its occupation force in Ukraine to nearly half a million individuals. Besides, Russia lacks sufficient domestic ammunition production to meet its needs in its war on Ukraine but President Vladimir Putin has not given up his hopes of subjugating the country, Western officials said. Russia's military industry is also struggling with the impact of sanctions. The officials said adding that the country's inability to access Western components was undermining its ability to produce new systems and repair old ones. Putin's awkward act showed his weakness. The Economist, after the ISIS terrorist attack in Moscow which became a colossal failure of the Russian intelligence services and a slap in the face to Putin, the head of the Kremlin cowardly disappeared and reappeared almost a day later with a false statement in which he tried to ridiculously concoct blame for Ukraine. However, such behavior is traditional for the Russian President, writes the British magazine The Economist. Putin is a man who likes victories, preferably staged managed ones. It is noted that last year, when Yevgeny Prigoshin and his band of mercenaries made their way to Moscow Putin was initially nowhere to be seen, the magazine writes. So if he took a full 19 hours to conjure up a short TV performance to speak about the massive intelligence failure at Croker City Hall in Moscow he was falling into a familiar pattern. The address itself gave little away and appeared to serve as a hedge. Putin claimed ludicrously that Ukraine had opened a border window to the terrorists as they tried to escape Russia in their white Renault symbol. But the Russian President stopped short of directly attributing responsibility to Ukraine for the attack and said nothing about the Islamic State group that said it had carried it out. Part of Putin's reluctance to go all in on blaming Ukraine might reflect a worry that the American government is sitting on intelligence that could undermine such a claim. Part might be embarrassment at his security agency's failure to act on American warnings on March 7th of an imminent attack. Indeed, just three days before the assault, Putin had brushed off that intelligence as blackmail. Such a hubristic blunder would have consequences in a country where power can be held to account. Russia is not such a country. The attack nevertheless represents a blow to the reputation of Putin and the security services on which he depends. The manner of the assault, in which at least 137 people lost their lives, will not soon be forgotten. There are many questions over the inept security at the Glitzy venue, which is in an entertainment park in Moscow's northwest suburbs. It is unclear why local police failed to respond quickly. A producer of a show held at Croker City Hall ten days before the attack noted that 200 security guards were present that night.