WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Thursday said Russia is executing soldiers who have failed to follow orders and threatening entire units with death if they retreat from Ukrainian artillery fire.
It's a development that U.S. national security officials believe reflects Russia's morale problems 20 months into its grinding invasion of Ukraine, said White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.
Putin ”basically said that if Western weapons to Ukraine stop, Ukraine would have a week to live.
The contract soldiers were pulled out of Ukraine after their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, mounted an armed rebellion in June.
There also have been reports, including from the British Defense Ministry, that the regular Russian military has deployed “barrier troops” that threaten to shoot any deserters.
Persons:
John Kirby, “, Kirby, Joe Biden, Biden, Putin, ” Kirby, Putin ”, Yevgeny Prigozhin, haven’t
Organizations:
WASHINGTON, White, National Security, Republican, Ukraine, “, Wagner Group, British Defense Ministry, Russian
Locations:
Russia, Ukraine, Donetsk