Panic Sentiments Spreading Among Personnel of Russian occupation forces

The vast majority of Russian servicemen who underwent training in the territory of the Republic of Belarus and were redeployed at the beginning of this month to the training grounds in the Nizhniy Novgorod region and Krasnodar Territory of the Russian Federation to replenish the units of the occupation forces, who suffered losses, try to avoid being sent to the areas of hostilities.

“There are confirmed facts of increased desertion, arbitrary abandonment of military units, evasion of orders, and self-mutilation to avoid being sent to the territory of Ukraine. There is an increase in ‘informational and explanatory work’ (i.e., intimidation) by the command of the Russian occupation forces among Russian military personnel. However, threats of imprisonment and executions are ineffective and further demotivate the personnel of the occupation units,” Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Hanna Maliar said.

She added that during the offensive, our defenders performed military miracles that will be included in textbooks:

• The Armed Forces of Ukraine advanced in conditions where the enemy had more weapons and more people when the offensive was considered possible when the opposite was the case.
• Our troops are advancing. And the question should be asked primarily not about the number of kilometers advanced by, but in general about the fact – whether we are moving forward or not.
• The fact that the Armed Forces of Ukraine move in conditions of enemy superiority is a sign of the high skill and courage of our defenders.

“Our casualty rate on the offensive directions is much lower than that of the enemy. In (the) Bakhmut direction, the death toll is eight times less than the enemy’s. In (the) Berdiansk and Mariupol directions, it is 5.3 times less. This is despite the fact that the side that advances usually loses more,” Maliar stressed.

Natalia Tolub