The core of 48th Assault Battalion leaves the unit

The 48th Assault Battalion faces major challenges after its core members announced their decision to leave the unit and join the 426th Rifle Battalion. This move follows numerous appeals from the battalion’s soldiers, some of which were made public, as reported by MilitaryLand on January 18, 2025.

In their public appeal released in January, the soldiers highlighted the battalion’s frequent redeployments without adequate time to rest or replenish their ranks. They also called for the reinstatement of their original commander and founder, Lenur Islyamov, who was removed and replaced by an outsider that same month without any explanation.

Despite the departure of its core members, the 48th Assault Battalion continues to operate. An officer with the callsign “Cat,” formerly the chief of staff of the 33rd Assault Battalion (now a regiment), has been appointed as the new commander. The battalion has also launched new official social media accounts and a website.