Russian military officers are requesting to be moved away from the frontlines in Ukraine under Vladimir Putin’s command. Reports indicate a lack of discipline and signs of rebellion among Kremlin troops near Pokrovsk in Donetsk region. This unrest coincides with significant Ukrainian offensives deep within Russian territory as Russia observes Orthodox Christmas Eve. The situation is further complicated by allegations of intoxicated commanders in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Despite his absence from public view in 2026, Putin is anticipated to attend a midnight church service tonight. However, he is facing challenges such as the arrest of his close ally Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela by the US and unrest in Iran, a key supporter of Moscow. Additionally, President Donald Trump has called on Putin to halt hostilities, and the US has criticized Putin’s unfounded claim that Ukraine plotted to assassinate him.
A pro-Ukraine group named ATESH has reported that Russian officers stationed on the Pokrovsk front are seeking reassignment to safer areas to avoid combat casualties. The dissent appears to be concentrated in the 39th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, part of the Eastern Military District’s 68th Army Corps. Despite Putin’s false assertion of Pokrovsk’s liberation, fighting persists in the region. ATESH alleges that officers are being coerced into reporting false stability and signing inaccurate documents under threat of disciplinary action.
The officers are described as disheartened, disoriented, and fearful of the dangers at the Pokrovsk front. Many are requesting transfers to less risky positions due to concerns about attacks by anti-tank weapons and guerrilla forces. Similar issues are reported in the 74th Motor Rifle Regiment stationed in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region, where alcohol consumption by commanders is said to have led to avoidable casualties.
Putin’s resolve to continue the conflict was demonstrated by an attack on a US-owned vegetable plant in Dnipro, Ukraine. The mayor of Dnipro, Borys Filatov, revealed that the plant, owned by Bunge Global SA based in St. Louis, Missouri, was targeted by Russian forces. The attack resulted in the spillage of 300 tonnes of vegetable oil on the road. In separate incidents, residential areas in Nikopol and the Usman oil facility in Lipetsk were also hit during Orthodox Christmas Eve strikes by Ukrainian forces led by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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