Russia is banning officials from stepping down by threatening them with ‘false criminal charges’ over fears their departure would throw the Kremlin into chaos, the UK Defense Ministry said today.
Senior officials have become “very skeptical” about Russia’s war in Ukraine, which has seen hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers killed and military vehicles destroyed, the Defense Ministry said in its latest daily briefing on information.
But any idea that the officials might resign is being countered by the Kremlin in order to avoid “any impression of defeatism”.
Indeed, top executives who want to resign because of the war are likely to face “falsified criminal charges”, the Defense Ministry said.
“The Russian state is probably banning senior officials from resigning from their posts while the ‘special military operation’ continues,” the ministry said.
Russia is banning officials from stepping down by threatening them with ‘false criminal charges’ over fears their departure would throw the Kremlin into chaos, the UK Defense Ministry said today.
A Ukrainian multiple rocket launcher fires at Russian positions on the frontline near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, yesterday
“The measures likely extend to at least regional leaders, security officials and members of the powerful presidential administration.”
He added: “Privately, many officials are probably very skeptical of war, and often suffer from work stress within the dysfunctional war apparatus. The ban is likely being enforced with strong indications that those who quit will face bogus criminal charges.
“As well as being concerned about the capability gaps that resigning would leave, authorities are likely also trying to prevent any impression of defeatism and build a sense of collective responsibility for the war.”
The ban was imposed after a number of senior government officials said they wanted to resign after the war started, four sources – including a former FSB officer and a political strategist working with a governor – told a independent Russian media. Important stories.
“I am aware of at least two cases where governors tried to leave their posts, but in the internal politics department of the presidential administration, they were not only banned, it was also hinted that they could face criminal charges,” the former FSB said. said the officer.
“There are many who want to leave after the war starts. If everyone leaves, control will be lost,” said another source close to the presidential administration.
The source added that if anyone expressed a desire to leave the presidential administration, it would be considered “treason” and officials were instructed to show unity in preventing a mass exodus of civil servants.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted the report was false, describing it as an unfounded rumour.
Under the mobilization decree signed by Vladimir Putin in September last year, several FSB officers complained that they were prohibited from resigning from their posts even after their contracts had expired.
And the Kremlin has also imposed strict restrictions on senior officials traveling abroad for fear they will desert Russia amid heavy war losses.
“No one can go anywhere without special permission,” a senior government official told the Moscow time. The source added that some officials have had their passports confiscated and a list has been compiled of where staff have been.
Ukrainian soldiers fire a cannon near Bakhmut on Monday where heavy fighting against Russian forces took place
“Despite the ongoing conflict, Putin himself sometimes has to review all these lists and figure out who is going abroad and for what purpose,” a Kremlin official said.
Many sources have pointed to growing anger among Russian officials over the Russian war effort.
Indeed, not only has Russia lost an estimated 197,000 troops since the start of the war, but Putin has also seen thousands of Russian military vehicles, including tanks and infantry carriers, destroyed by Kiev forces. using Western weapons.
And on the front line, the Ukrainian military today said it had made further territorial gains amid heavy fighting around the eastern town of Bakhmut, despite being outgunned and outgunned. number by Russian forces.
Last week, kyiv said it had stepped up pressure on Muscovite troops north and south of Bakhmut. Russian mercenary forces say they have advanced inside the city, where kyiv has acknowledged making small advances.
“Despite the fact that our units have no advantage in equipment…and personnel, they have continued to advance on the [Russian] flanks, and covered a distance of 150 to 1,700 meters [165 to 1,850 yards]’, military spokesman Serhiy Cherevatyi said in televised comments.
He did not specify over what period the gains were made. Reuters was unable to verify the battlefield situation.
Moscow sees Bakhmut, a town of around 70,000 before Russia’s full-scale invasion nearly 15 months ago, as a stepping stone to capturing the rest of the eastern Donbass region.
Ukrainian officials have signaled that the advances around Bakhmut were not part of a wider counteroffensive planned by kyiv to repel Russian forces.
