British Intelligence: Russian and Ukrainian forces likely to be deserted

Ukrainian and Russian units fighting in Donbas are likely to suffer desertions in the coming weeks, the United Kingdom Defence Ministry reports on the basis of information from British intelligence services, adding that the Russian moral situation “will most likely remain particularly troubled”.

“Russians who refuse orders and armed clashes between officers and their troops continue to occur. Russian authorities will likely struggle to exert legal pressure on military opponents, hampered by the official status of the occupation as a <x1 special military operation” and not as a fight”, a statement said.

The ministry also said both sides have continued to carry out heavy artillery bombings in the excises in the north, east and south of Siverodonetsk pocket, but with few changes on the front line.