The Kremlin’s efforts to censor information about fallen Russian soldiers and mandatory mobilization in the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Lugansk and Donetsk would only exacerbate domestic tensions in Russia and fuel resistance to the war in Ukraine. This is reported by the American think tank ‘Institute for the Study of War’ (ISW).
Ukraine’s military intelligence services (GUR) said the Kremlin hired lawyers and psychologists to convince the families of the crew of the sunken flagship Moskva not to release information about the deaths of their loved ones. The aim would be to get the growing social tensions in Russia under control.
The Kremlin would, among other things, threaten to withdraw financial compensation if family members spoke publicly about the sinking of the Moskva. In protest, some would refuse a meeting with the command of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea. It would take place in Sevastopol.
Mutinous Soldiers
Ukrainian media sources, on the other hand, report that the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republics have changed mobilization protocols and are now promising compensation for soldiers injured or killed. That should provide an answer to mutinous soldiers at the front.
Russian defense minister Sergei Shoygu said yesterday that new conscripts will be trained this summer with special attention to the lessons the Russians have learned in Ukraine so far. This would teach them how to provide first aid on the battlefield. That should counter internal dissatisfaction with the way Russian soldiers are treated and their lack of training.
However, the ISW considers the chance that Russian conscripts sent to the front will receive proper training and equipment as “unlikely”.
No result
Former security minister of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic Alexander Khodakovsky claims he asked the military command to reassign exhausted and demoralized conscripts from other duties, but said he was unsuccessful.
It has been March 25 since Russia released an official figure on the number of Russian soldiers killed. According to the Ministry of Defense there were 1,351 at the time. According to the latest update from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry this morning, there are already 31,500.
Did Moscow lie about images of rescued crew of sunken flagship Moskva? This man’s aunt seems to provide strongest evidence of yes
ANALYSIS. First his spies, now his officers. Who else can blame Putin but himself? †
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