Brigade and battalion commanders appeared to be deploying "forwards into harm's way," while junior officers "have had to lead the lowest-level tactical actions," the UK defence ministry said in its latest Intelligence Update on the Situation in Ukraine.
"With multiple credible reports of localised mutinies amongst Russia's forces in Ukraine, a lack of experienced and credible platoon and company commanders is likely to result (in) a further decrease in morale and continued poor discipline," it said on Twitter.
It added that Russian battalion tactical groups, "which are being reconstituted in Ukraine from survivors of multiple units," were "likely to be less effective due to a lack of junior leaders."
Around 30,350 Russian troops have been killed in Ukraine since Vladimir Putin invaded the country in late February, according to Ukrainian military authorities.
The Russians have also lost 1,349 tanks, 3,282 armored fighting vehicles, 643 artillery systems, 205 multiple launch rocket systems, 93 anti-aircraft warfare systems, 207 aircraft, 174 helicopters, 2,258 motor vehicles and fuel tanks, 13 warships and boats, and 507 unmanned aerial vehicles, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on Monday, as cited by the ukrinform.net website.
Russian forces on Monday intensified attacks to capture Sievierodonetsk, a key city in Ukraine's southeastern Donbas region, the Reuters news agency reported.
Monday is day 96 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, Reuters, ukrinform.net