UK rejects Kremlin's claims of Russia 'deliberately slowing' military campaign in Ukraine

The United Kingdom has termed Russia's Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu's statement that Russian forces have been "deliberately slowing the pace" in Ukraine, as "misinformation." The British Defence Ministry in its latest intelligence report stated that the Russian military offensive in Ukraine has "stalled" due to the poor performance of Moscow's troops and the resistance demonstrated by Ukrainian forces. The intelligence update by UK MoD comes amid the ongoing war which continues for over 170 days. 

"On 24 August 2022, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation that Russia was deliberately slowing the pace of its military campaign in Ukraine, driven by the need to reduce civilian casualties. This is almost certainly deliberate misinformation," the UK Ministry of Defence said in the intelligence update.

Earlier on 24 August, Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu stated that the "special military operation" in Ukraine is being carried out in a way to avoid civilian casualties and stressed that it "slows down the pace of offensive." But, the UK Defence Ministry claimed that the Russian forces operating in Ukraine have "missed planned operational timelines."

According to Britain, at least six generals of Russian forces have been sacked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu for not being able to make advances quickly. The UK MoD also cited Russia's missile strike at a train in Chaplyne on August 24 in which at least two children were killed and emphasised that the action demonstrates Moscow's "willingness to cause collateral damage when it perceives there is a military advantage in launching missile or artillery strikes."

Russia's military action 'proceeding as planned': Shoigu

Dismissing claims of Moscow's army struggling in Ukraine, Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu said that the Russian offensive in Ukraine "is proceeding as planned" and "all tasks will be completed." Sergey Shoigu made the remarks at the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministry on August 24. He stressed that Ukraine has been selected as "an instrument of hybrid warfare against Russia" and added that Kyiv had posed a "real threat" to Russia as it did not agree to implement the Minsk agreement.

Russia's Defence Minister stated that country's forces were following the norms of humanitarian law and strikes were being targeted at the military infrastructure of Ukrainian forces, according to the press release issued by the Defence Ministry. Shoigu said that the offensive is being conducted to avoid civilian casualties and stressed that it "slows the pace of the offensive" but "they are doing it deliberately." He accused Ukrainian forces of breaching international norms and using residential buildings, schools, and kindergartens as firing positions and people as "human shields."

Image: AP