An online video shows Vladimir Putin’s soldiers from the Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR) refusing to fight outside Luhansk including the neighbouring Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR).

The Donbas is formed of Luhansk and Donetsk of Ukraine, with most parts being held by the Russian-backed LNR and DNR.

An American think tank, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said, “Its message reflects a larger trend of diminished LNR investment in and morale to support the Russian war in Ukraine.

Read more on Russia-Ukraine war:

Kremlin’s invasion is failing as almost 100,000 killed in fighting with 500 every day wounded or lost

Ukraine warns that this is ‘just the beginning’ with the number of attacks and explosions which will rock Crimea

Kremlin elites are ‘panicking’ take matters into their own hands in coup and are planning secret peace talks

Ukraine breaches ‘Russian defences’ in Crimea and are ‘striking at the very heart of Putin’s most sensitive places’

“This trend is particularly dangerous to Russian forces seeking to recruit still more new soldiers from Luhansk Oblast to make up for recent losses.

“Further division within Russian-led forces also threatens to further impede the efficiency of the Russian war effort.

“DNR units have previously recorded similar appeals when operating in Luhansk, Kharkiv, and Kherson Oblasts, which may indicate that proxy troops might not fully support the Kremlin’s expansive invasion plans.”

Putin has also been blasted on Tuesday by reports his soldiers are not being paid or being fed who are also being “dumped in remote locations.”

A report by the ISW found, “Russian authorities have reportedly placed recruits with no experience into positions as commanding officers at the company level or higher.

“[They] failed to provide sufficient food, ammunition, or cigarettes to soldiers, failed to provide for the funeral arrangements of volunteer soldiers killed in action.”

It added, “Several volunteers who have already returned home from Ukraine stated that they felt ‘deceived’ and treated worse than regular contract soldiers.”