According to report published by the newspaper on Wednesday, Russia has suffered major losses since the beginning of the war.
The report, citing military documents obtained by the WSJ, also speaks of alleged low morale among Russian troops in Ukraine.
“So many people don't want to fight,” said Russian lawyer Mikhail Benyash, as cited by the news outlet.
Benyash is representing a dozen service members of Russia's National Guard who were fired after refusing to take part in the invasion, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Last week, Britain's The Guardian newspaper reported that at least 115 Russian guardsmen said they were dismissed for refusing to fight.
The Wall Street Journal cited Benyash as saying that soldiers who refuse to fight have been dismissed but not criminally charged since the Kremlin has not formally declared war against Ukraine, with Putin describing the invasion as a “special military operation.”
According to the WSJ, Agora, a Russian human rights group, said that more than 700 Russian service members contacted them for legal assistance in relation to refusing orders.
(jh/gs)
Source: WSJ