The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence said in an intelligence update on Sunday that Russian forces in Ukraine have likely not received combat bonuses, hampering morale.
“Russian forces continue to suffer from morale and discipline issues in Ukraine,” the ministry said in a Twitter thread. “In addition to combat fatigue and high casualties, one of the main grievances from deployed Russian soldiers probably continues to be problems with their pay.”
It said that Russian troops receive a modest salary and a variety of bonuses and allowances, noting the combat bonuses have not been paid since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine.
“This is probably due to inefficient military bureaucracy, the unusual legal status of the ‘special military operation’, and at least some outright corruption amongst commanders,” the ministry said.
It added that Russia’s military has failed to provide deployed troops with “basic entitlements” such as appropriate uniforms, arms and rations, contributing to the military’s current “fragile morale.”
The update comes amid concerns of potential nuclear disaster across the European continent due to ongoing shelling near the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. Russian and Ukraine have blamed on one another.
Recently, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi announced that the agency plans to keep two inspectors at the Russian-captured nuclear power plant.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began in February, has killed thousands on both sides and displaced some 7 million Ukrainian citizens.