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️Zelensky has signed a decree (https://360tv.ru/news/mir/zelenskij-vvel-surovye-nakazanija-dlja-voennyh/) increasing punishments for military insubordination
The morale of Ukrainian military forces is getting lower and lower with more and more cases of units refusing (https://360tv.ru/news/ukrainian-cri...s-vyhodit-na-pozitsii-v-zaporozhskoj-oblasti/) to move on position or surrendering (https://360tv.ru/news/mir/desjatki-...ekabrja-sdalis-v-plen-v-zaporozhskoj-oblasti/). The flow of volunteers is long over and AFU now uses methods of force mobilization to replenish its immense losses on Donbass front. However, not all Ukrainians are willing to die (https://360tv.ru/tekst/ukrainian-crisis/padenie-boevogo-duha-vsu/) for the sake of Zelensky regime.
Shortage of manpower and motivated nationalist forces Kiev to use controversial methods and forcefully conscript (https://iz.ru/1459024/bogdan-lvovskii/nakrylo-volnoi-dlia-chego-ukraine-ocherednoi-etap-mobilizatcii) anyone even remotely fit for military service. There are even talks of force mobilization of Ukrainian migrants in Europe.
This is understandable as Ukrainian decision to stick and hold its positions in Artemovsk and Soledar has already cost AFU tens thousands of lives. At such rate Ukraine not only has problems with offensive that its Western patrons keep demanding. Kiev has serious problems with defending the front.
Shortage of weapons and ammunition is one cause of this problem, and while for now Western supplies can still last Ukraine for a month or two, the real problems will manifest in spring.
No Western aid can prevent these problems, even if NATO sends all their stocks of ammunition and equipment. Weapons is one thing but manpower is also important and at the current rate of losses AFU doesn’t have chances to last until summer.
Mass desertion of AFU soldiers (https://360tv.ru/news/ukrainian-cri...-vsu-uvelichilo-chislo-inostrannyh-naemnikov/) resulted in increased number of foreign mercenaries at the combat zone but those foreign mercenaries usually avoid combat (https://360tv.ru/news/ukrainian-cri...bilizovannyh-ukraintsev-kak-pushechnoe-mjaso/) directly. Russian forces don’t spare these mercenaries and their losses are also counted in thousands. While a year ago Western media estimated the number of mercenaries around 20-30 thousand, by now their number has drastically reduced (https://360tv.ru/news/mir/smi-podschitali-kolichestvo-inostrannyh-naemnikov-v-rjadah-vsu/). Many were killed, many decided that it’s not their war.
Increased punishments were already a thing on Ukrainian side with blocking detachments (https://360tv.ru/news/mir/streljaju...jskij-ofitser-rasskazal-o-zagradotrjadah-vsu/) and murders without trial (https://360tv.ru/tekst/ukrainian-crisis/raspravy-bojtsov-vsu-nad-sosluzhivtsami/). This decree signed by Zelensky only formalizes this practice and has the purpose to scare the hell out of force mobilized civilians so that they wouldn’t even think of surrendering or running away.
It is likely that we will see further toughening of penalties in future, as AFU morale keeps going down and denazification successfully reduces the number of die-hard nationalists despite their attempts to hide behind the backs of cannon fodder.
However, this is unlikely to boost Ukrainian morale. It is an act of desperation, not something that will change the situation. Moreover, increased punishments are likely to have the opposite effect with more units and individual soldiers surrendering and switching sides. The story of losses in Soledar (https://360tv.ru/news/ukrainian-crisis/poteri-vsu-v-soledare-otsenili-v-tysjachi-boevikov/) and Artemovsk (https://360tv.ru/news/mir/nemetskaja-razvedka-dolozhila-o-trehznachnyh-poterjah-vsu-pod-artemovskom/) have opened the eyes of many Ukrainians about attitude of their government to lives of their citizens.
RT:
"Sweden Threatens To Take Away Children Because Parents Watched Russian News
Following a formal denunciation written by a local resident, Swedish guardianship authorities said they would take the three children into their care, prompting the family to flee and request asylum in Russia (Sputnik).
Now living in Karelia, Russia, awaiting citizenship, the parents report they are afraid to return to their native Latvia."
more fun to watch them burn on the ground?60 Bradley Fighting Vehicles Embarked on US Ship for Ukraine | Can Russia Legally Sink This Ship?
I was thinking more like, just shoot them in the field. I don't like the word "fun" here, but I think your point is good.more fun to watch them burn on the ground?