Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu claiming Moscow’s forces have halted offensives in Ukraine to reduce civilian casualties is “almost certainly deliberate misinformation,” – the UK’s Ministry of Defense said.
Instead, the ministry suggested Russian advance has stalled due to poor Russian military performance and fierce Ukrainian resistance.
According to the assessment, Russian troops have several times failed to meet their operational schedules.
“Shoigu and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin have likely fired at least six generals for not advancing quickly enough,” the message reads.
In addition, the ministry said a Russian short-range ballistic missile struck a passenger train in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, killing at least two children, on the same day that Shoigu made his claim.
“This highlights Russia’s willingness to cause collateral damage when it perceives there is a military advantage in launching missiles or artillery strikes,” the message concludes.
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