Thread by @ChrisO_wiki

1/ A Russian soldier captured by Ukraine recorded himself looting an abandoned house in the Kursk region. The video was reportedly retrieved from his mobile phone. It potentially corroborates reports of widespread looting from their own civilians by the Russian military. ⬇️

2/ In the video, the man shows himself wandering around the house's ransacked interior. The building appears to have been damaged, probably by shelling. He complains that "the Ministry of Defence" (i.e. the Army) have been there before him and have stripped the house.

3/ At least three of his colleagues are visible in and around the building's garage. Describing it as "rich" (in loot, presumably), he says they are "cleaning it [out]".

4/ It's not clear which force the man is from, but his reference to "the Ministry of Defence" suggests that he's not Army. It's most likely that he's a member of the Rosgvardiya (Russian National Guard) which answers directly to Putin.

5/ The video helps to corroborate a report today that "rampant looting" by Russian forces has broken out in frontline regions in the path of the Ukrainian advance. It appears that the Russians are having serious problems with military indiscipline.

https://x.com/ChrisO_wiki/status/1822953065940406661

6/ The video suggests that both the Army and, possibly, the Rosgvardia are engaged in wanton looting. This is likely to have a number of seriously negative effects on Russia's response to the Ukrainian offensive:

7/ 🔹 Time spent looting is time lost to defend territory.

🔹 Carrying loot uses up and slows down logistical capacity. (This was a major problem for Russia at the start of the full-scale invasion, when soldiers commandeered much-needed trucks to carry loot back into Russia.)

8/ 🔹 Soldiers who are looting aren't likely to go straight to the front line – they'll try to get it to safety (and perhaps the nearest functioning post office) to get it home. Again, this reduces defensive capacity.

🔹 The looted civilians won't be happy, to say the least.

9/ The video suggests that there's been a major breakdown in Russian command and control along the frontlines – they would probably not be looting if they had an officer with them. The men in the video were most likely wandering around without any orders. /end

Source:
t.me/uniannet/141827