Spy drone catches Russian beating their troops

 Yahoo News:

The mantra “the beatings go on until morale improves” seems to have been taken literally by one Russian soldier, as seen in an odd video posted on social media on Sept. 20.

A Ukrainian military reconnaissance drone was filming a Russian position in Ukraine when it captured the odd ritual, or disciplinary beatings, of several soldiers.

In the video, one Russian soldier, presumably an officer or an NCO, can be seen severely striking his subordinates across the back with a large wooden stick.

Russia’s disregard for the morale and well-being of its soldiers is legendary, and it’s currently unknown whether this particular beating was effective at improving team spirit.
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This appears to be more evidence that the Russian military is having a problem motivating its troops who are losing this war at this point.

ISW is also reporting

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Russian servicemen and milbloggers revealed that the Russian military command orders Russian troops to carry out “ill-conceived and unsupported” counterattacks on Bakhmut’s southern flank to urgently regain lost ground.[6] Elements of Altai Krai’s 1st Battalion of the 1442nd Regiment (a mobilized unit) published a video appeal in which the soldiers claim that they abandoned their military equipment in the Klishchiivka (7km southwest of Bakhmut) area after receiving an order from the Russian military command to form an assault group and attack in the Bakhmut direction.[7] The servicemen noted that the Russian military command began deploying different types of personnel to the frontlines — including soldiers who are currently resting in the rear — without providing them with enough functional artillery shells. The servicemen noted that their shells do not explode when fired, which is likely a symptom of Russia's defense industrial base’s (DIB) efforts to speed up the production of shells and skipping quality assurance measures to do so.[8] The servicemen added that the unit is suffering from low morale after hearing reports that Ukrainian forces destroyed most of an unspecified Russian regiment and almost an entire retreating assault group in the area. The servicemen also claimed that they do not have prepared defensive positions and have to rely on small arms whereas the Ukrainians have artillery. Relatives of the personnel in the 1442nd Regiment had previously appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin after the Russian military command beat the troops for refusing to carry out an assault on September 14.[9]

A Russian milblogger also accused the Russian military command of ordering Russian troops to recapture Andriivka (10km southwest of Bakhmut) and the surrounding area without setting proper conditions for such counterattacks.[10] The milblogger claimed that the Russian military command was planning “weak” counterattacks and failed to provide accurate intelligence to Russian assault units. The milblogger observed that Russian forces also lack artillery support, while “hysterical” counterattacks are depleting Russian resources and reserves. The milblogger also claimed that Russian defenses on the adjacent heights in the Andriivka area had collapsed, and it is likely that the Russian military command’s efforts to regain lost positions are preventing Russian forces from preparing new defensive positions on Bakhmut’s southern flank.
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See, also:

 The mastermind of Russia's treacherous defenses in Ukraine appears to be in a kind of faraway 'exile' as the line is being breached

And:

 Saboteurs 'blew up' aircraft at a Russian base in the latest in a string of attacks, causing 'hysteria,' Ukrainian military intelligence reports

Unknown saboteurs "blew up" several Russian military aircraft at a base near Moscow earlier this week, Ukraine's military intelligence agency said on Wednesday.

The reported attack marks the latest in a string of assaults specifically targeting airfields inside Russia's internationally recognized territory, which have taken place hundreds of miles away from active fighting along the Ukraine war's front lines and exposed major shortcomings in Moscow's domestic security apparatus.
...

And:

 Special operation in Crimea: Ukrainian Security Service and Navy deal powerful blow to Saky airfield

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The sources said that the special services used drones to overload Russian air defences and then launched Neptune missiles.

At least 12 combat aircraft, including Su-24s and Su-30s, as well as a Pantsir anti-air missile system, were at the airport. There was also a training base for Mohajer UAV operators. These drones are used by the Russians to coordinate their own air attacks and sometimes deployed as a strike drone.

The sources said the strikes by the SSU and the Navy hit their targets and caused serious damage to the Russian equipment.
...

And:

 Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Unleashes New Wave Of Cruise Missiles On Crimea

 The latest wave of Ukrainian strikes against targets in Russian-occupied Crimea reportedly hit a command post of the Black Sea Fleet, among others targets, on Wednesday morning. The Ukrainian military intelligence service described the attacks as successful, but provided few additional details, while Russian authorities claimed that they had repelled a missile strike on Sevastopol and had brought down multiple Ukrainian drones.

...

And:

 Media release video of strike on Russian HQ in Melitopol

And:

 Ukraine Has Liberated 54% of Territory Seized by Russia, Joint Chiefs Chairman Says

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Much of the fighting is against heavily defended and entrenched positions -- something that military officials have been warning about for months.

However, Milley said that "generally speaking, the Ukrainians have penetrated several layers of this defense."

"It is not 100% penetrated yet, but they've penetrated several of the layers and they're going very slow, preserving their combat power," he added.

While the slow progress is not surprising to military leaders, it also comes at a time when the political will to keep sending military equipment and aid to Ukraine is being challenged on Capitol Hill.
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The money and military supplies given to Ukraine for this fight have not been cheap and some in Congress are beginning to question the expenditures.  However, the degrading of the Russian military during the war has been significant in terms of that country's conventional military power.

And:

Ukraine strains to shore up aid as war's second winter looms

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