London: Moscow sending singers, actors to cheer up troops in Ukraine

Moscow is sending actors, singers and circus performers to Ukraine, in order to boost the flagging morale of Russian troops, according to British intelligence.

The Russian Defence Ministry announced the establishment of two "front line creative brigades" tasked with raising the morale of troops deployed on the "special military operation," the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in London said in its daily update.

"Russian media reports that the ranks will include opera singers, actors and circus performers," according to the update. This follows a recent campaign by the Russian Defence Ministry to encourage the public to donate musical instruments to deployed soldiers, the ministry wrote.

"Military music and organized entertainment for deployed troops have a long history in many militaries, but in Russia they are strongly intertwined with the Soviet-era concept of ideological political education," it said, while doubting the campaign will succeed.

"Fragile morale almost certainly continues to be a significant vulnerability across much of the Russian force. However, soldiers' concerns primarily focus on very high casualty rates, poor leadership, pay problems, lack of equipment and ammunition, and lack of clarity about the war's objectives. The creative brigades' efforts are unlikely to substantively alleviate these concerns," according to the update.

Morale is low among Russian troops, according to earlier updates by the ministry, which has in the past suggested there was a lack of willingness to undertake offensive operations in many Russian units in Ukraine.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, the MoD in London has been issuing daily intelligence updates on the course of the war to counter the Russian narrative. Moscow accuses London of a targeted disinformation campaign.