Russia is turning temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories into criminal enclaves where banditry and lawlessness are spreading. This is claimed by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
„The situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine is worsening – "The Russian occupiers are effectively turning the enslaved regions into criminal enclaves where banditry and lawlessness reign," the GUR states.
Weapons, violence and cybercrime
According to Ukrainian intelligence, the factors that threaten Russian control include the illegal trafficking of weapons and explosives, the increase in cybercrime and the theft of budget funds.
The GUR also points to alcohol abuse among Russian servicemen. According to the department, this leads to street conflicts and beatings. Ukrainian intelligence claims that the Russian authorities take these problems into account even in their own closed reports and assessments.
The population lives in conditions of constant fear due to the strict counterintelligence regime, the threat of violence and repression by the security forces. According to the GUR, this reinforces the negative attitude towards the Russian occupiers.
Scarcity accelerates the exodus
Living conditions are deteriorating due to the lack of work, food, medicine, fuel and basic necessities. The GUR claims that poverty and devastation are intensifying the population's withdrawal from the occupied areas.
Against this backdrop, Russia is trying to increase positive propaganda by presenting socio-economic projects and programs to increase the birth rate. At the same time, the occupation authorities are restricting access to alternative information channels, including media outlets designated by Russia as foreign agents.
Kremlin tightens control over administrations
According to Ukrainian intelligence, Moscow plans to strengthen supervision over the occupation administrations and collaborators holding positions in them.
“Moscow does not fully trust even the most pro-Russian of them“, GUR states.
The new curator of the temporarily occupied territories is Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnulin. He replaced the former deputy head of the Russian presidential administration Dmitry Kozak in the post.
Sources: ukrinform.ua