Whole Russian units are ‘refusing orders and armed stand-offs between officers and their troops’ continues amid ‘combat stress’

The UK’s latest intelligence update has said that both the Ukraine and Russia are under “heavy artillery bombardments” and both sides are engaged in “intense combat in the Donbas.”

The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that whole Russian units are “refusing orders” and there are “armed stand-offs between officers and their troops.”

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The British MoD said, “In recent days, both Russia and Ukraine have continued to conduct heavy artillery bombardments on axes to the north, east and south of the Sieverodonetsk pocket, but with little change in the front line.

“Combat units from both sides are committed to intense combat in the Donbas and are likely experiencing variable morale.

“Ukrainian forces have likely suffered desertions in recent weeks, however, Russian moral highly likely remains especially troubled.

“Cases of whole Russian units refusing orders and armed stand-offs between officers and their troops continue to occur.”

The Kremlin are most likely struggling to deal the amount of deserters to bring legal action against them, whilst many have defected to fight for the Ukraine.

The intelligence report added, “The Russian authorities likely struggle to bring legal pressure to bear on military dissenters, hampered by the invasion’s official status as a ‘special military operation’ rather than as a war.

“Drivers for low Russian moral include perceived poor leadership, limited opportunity for rotation of units out of combat, very heavy casualties, combat stress, continued poor logistics, and problems with pay.

“Many Russian personnel of all ranks also likely remain confused about the war’s objectives.”