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The UK Defense Intelligence Say Russian Reservists Ordered to Assault a Ukrainian Strong Point Armed With Only ‘Firearms and Shovels’

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The lethality of the standard-issue MPL-50 entrenching tool is particularly mythologised in Russia / Illustrative photo from open sources
The lethality of the standard-issue MPL-50 entrenching tool is particularly mythologised in Russia / Illustrative photo from open sources

Russian command continuing to insist on offensive action largely consisting of dismounted infantry, with less support from artillery fire because Russia is short of munitions while russian mobilised reservists are not prepared for the action

That is according to a latest the U.K. Defense Ministry’s Defense Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine.

"In late February 2023, Russian mobilised reservists described being ordered to assault a Ukrainian concrete strong point armed with only ‘firearms and shovels’. The ‘shovels’ are likely entrenching tools being employed for hand-to-hand combat," the update reads.

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the UK Defense Intelligence Say Russian Reservists Ordered to Assault a Ukrainian Strong Point Armed With Only Firearms and Shovels, Defense Express

As the U.K. Defense Defense Intelligence explains, "the lethality of the standard-issue MPL-50 entrenching tool is particularly mythologised in Russia. Little changed since it was designed in 1869, its continued use as a weapon highlights the brutal and low-tech fighting which has come to characterise much of the war."

the UK Defense Intelligence Say Russian Reservists Ordered to Assault a Ukrainian Strong Point Armed With Only Firearms and Shovels, Defense Express
Little changed since it was designed in 1869, MPL-50 entrenching tool continued use as a weapon / Illustrative photo from open sources
the UK Defense Intelligence Say Russian Reservists Ordered to Assault a Ukrainian Strong Point Armed With Only Firearms and Shovels, Defense Express
Soviet soldiers having no ither weapons used MPL-50 entrenching tool to fight with armed German soldiers during the WWII / Illustrative picture from open sources

The U.K. Defense Ministry’s update also notes that one of the reservists described being "neither physically, nor mentally" capable of the action.

The UK Defense Intelligence also say, that recent evidence suggests an increase in close combat in Ukraine. "This is probably a result of the Russian command continuing to insist on offensive action largely consisting of dismounted infantry, with less support from artillery fire because Russia is short of munitions," the intelligence update concludes.

the UK Defense Intelligence Say Russian Reservists Ordered to Assault a Ukrainian Strong Point Armed With Only Firearms and Shovels, Defense Express
Russian mobilised reservists are not capable to act on modern battlefield neither physically, nor mentally / Illustrative photo from open sources

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