Ukraine removes 17,000 Russian soldiers from battlefield without single shot

Sprotyv reported the information, citing the head of the US Army Special Operations Command, Lieutenant General Jonathan Braga, according to Business Insider.

In his statement, he highlighted Ukraine's ability to exploit the low morale among the Russian military to carry out successful media campaigns.

"We've supported our Ukrainian partners there. You've had 17,000 Russians desert. That's 17,000 soldiers you didn't have to blow up on the battlefield or destroy. That has weakened the defensive mechanisms (of the invaders - ed.)," Braga said.

Ukraine's messaging efforts have become an important tool for convincing thousands of Russian soldiers to leave their posts. The outlet noted that through the active use of social media, the Ukrainian military and intelligence services obtain detailed information about Russian forces, their equipment and personnel, which becomes the basis for effective strikes against individual soldiers and undermining their morale.

"At the tactical level, eroding will and morale with individual soldiers, to eroding the overall capability of the unit, it's inherent and it's a traditional military activity to impose doubt into the minds of the adversary," Braga said.

There are many examples of poor morale among the Russian military that could be exploited by Ukrainian operations, and the Kremlin is trying to counteract this phenomenon. These examples include Russia's brutal measures, such as executions of soldiers who refuse to follow orders or retreat, as was the practice of Soviets during World War II, and others.

• Earlier, the White House stated that Russia is executing soldiers who attempt to retreat from a fierce offensive in eastern Ukraine.