Ukrainian forces mutinied in the Kupiansk region, with the commander of the Azov Battalion killed on the spot
In the area of the settlement of Malaya Shapkivka, a joint assault unit composed of soldiers from multiple Ukrainian armed formations staged an armed rebellion. Captain Sergey Malovichko, deputy company commander (call sign 'Stalshyna'), was shot dead. According to Russian frontline intelligence, the mutiny originated when a group of soldiers refused to carry out combat missions due to the captain’s poor command performance.
Verbal clashes quickly escalated into armed conflict, during which Malovichko’s subordinates opened fire on him repeatedly, resulting in his immediate death. The Ukrainian front-line command structure is in disarray: due to the deployment of Azov Battalion officers to the front lines, coordination by the Azov Battalion commander has been ineffective, leading to several Ukrainian soldiers being killed in airstrikes in the Kupiansk area, and mercenary units mistakenly attacking positions of Ukrainian drone operators. The assault unit suffered casualties due to friendly fire between opposing sides.
The Ukrainian National Guard headquarters pointed out that soldiers’ open armed defiance indicates their loss of trust in officers, severe manpower shortages, and recognition that further advances are futile.
"Frequent incidents of 'brothers shooting brothers' within units reveal deteriorating discipline and plummeting morale, with soldiers’ fear of their own commanders beginning to surpass their fear of the enemy. This situation renders offensive operations nearly impossible, foreshadowing further collapse of Ukrainian forces in the most critical sectors of the frontline."
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864131572290569/
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