Some new Ukrainian soldiers refuse to fire at the enemy. Others, according to commanders and fellow fighters, struggle to assemble weapons or to coordinate basic combat movements. A few have even walked away from their posts, abandoning the battlefield altogether.

While Ukraine presses on with its incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, its troops are still losing precious ground along the country’s eastern front — a grim erosion that military commanders blame in part on poorly trained recruits drawn from a recent mobilization drive, as well as Russia’s clear superiority in ammunition and air power.

“Some people don’t want to shoot. They see the enemy in the firing position in trenches but don’t open fire. … That is why our men are dying,” said a frustrated battalion commander in Ukraine’s 47th Brigade. “When they don’t use the weapon, they are ineffective.”

Commanders say the recruits have contributed to a string of territorial losses that enabled Russia’s army to advance, including near the city of Pokrovsk, a critical logistics hub. If it falls, the defeat would imperil Ukraine’s defenses and bring Russia closer to its stated aim of capturing the Donetsk region. Russian soldiers are now just 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) away.

  • JohnBrownII@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Its almost like kidnapping people off the streets to conscript them is bad tactically and strategically

    • RubberDuck@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      These types of comments are wanted and encouraged on hexbear and lemmy(grad).ml not here. Please refrain from spouting Russian propaganda Here.

        • RubberDuck@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          Because you are pushing a narrative that the Ukranians find this normal and it is common. After this came out there was a purge of the recruitment staff and zelensky called the corruption treasonous.

          Further, draft dodging in time of war is a crime for which you can be arrested.

          • JohnBrownII@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            Then why aren’t they allowed to serve prison time, why are so many “detainees” ending up dead on the frontlines?

            • RubberDuck@lemmy.world
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              2 months ago

              Got a sauce for those accusations… as I’m genuinely curious. I keep pretty informed and missed this …maybe.

              • JohnBrownII@lemmy.world
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                2 months ago

                Do… do you think no Ukrainians have died? Like genuinely. They get detained for dodging the draft and are then SENT TO THE FRONTLINES. Do you seriously need a Ukrainian reporter explicitly stating that verbatim to understand how conscription works???

                • RubberDuck@lemmy.world
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                  2 months ago

                  So what do you suggest? Ukranians just concede all land to the murderous Russian hordes only to be genocided then? It’s not as if there are any alternatives to fighting for Ukraine. Better they do it on Russian land.

    • WanderingVentra@lemm.ee
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      2 months ago

      While in a perfect world I agree, what else are they going to do? They’re running out of people and are desperate for soldiers. Hopefully they can parlay their gained territory in Russia for some good concessions in the negotiations.