Russian soldiers ordered to storm Ukrainian positions, armed with shovels - British intelligence

That’s according to an update by British intelligence, the country’s Defense Ministry tweeted, as seen by Ukrinform.

"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 report reads.

It is noted that the lethality of the standard-issue MPL-50 entrenching tool is “particularly mythologized” in Russia.

“Little changed since it was designed in 869, its continued use as a weapon highlights the brutal and low-tech fighting which has come to characterize much of the war. One of the reservists described being ‘neither physically nor psychologically’ prepared for the action,” said the report.

Defense Intelligence says evidence suggests an increase in close combat in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

"This is probably a result that 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 update reads.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Commander of NATO’s Forces in Europe and U.S. Forces Commander in Europe, General Christopher Cavoli, said that since Russia’s full-scale invasion, Russia saw 200,000 of its soldiers, as well as 1,800 officers, killed and wounded.