Moscow has announced the establishment of two “front line creative brigades” tasked with raising the “fragile” morale of troops deployed in Ukraine, according to the UK ministry of defence (MoD).
The MoD’s daily intelligence updated cites Russian media reports as saying “the ranks will include opera singers, actors and circus performers” in the hopes of raising the spirits of soliders jaded by “high casualty rates” and “poor leadership” on the battlefield.
Posting to Twitter, defence officials explain: “Fragile morale almost certainly continues to be a significant vulnerability across much of the Russian force.
“However, soldiers’ concerns primarily focus on very high casualty rates, poor leadership, pay problems lack of equipment and ammunition, and lack of clarity about the war’s objectives. The creative brigades’ efforts are unlikely to substantively alleviate these concerns.”
In other news, a top Ukrainian general has warned of a new Russian assault from the north.
Major General Andrii Kovalchuk said Ukraine is preparing for another round of attacks, adding that the country would need more military support to fight Vladimir Putin’s forces.
