Russian Soldiers Are Reportedly Shooting Down Their Planes And Refusing To Take Orders

Russian soldiers are refusing to follow orders from superiors, even shot down their own aircraft, according to one of the United Kingdom's top intelligence chief.

Jeremy Fleming, head of Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), called the invasion "Putin's war," he also added in his Thursday's full speech from the Australian National University in Canberra. "It's clear he misjudged the resistance of the Ukrainian people," Fleming said. "He underestimated the strength of the coalition his actions would galvanize. He underplayed the economic consequences of the sanctions regime. He overestimated the abilities of his military to secure a rapid victory. We've seen Russian soldiers—short of weapons and morale—refusing to carry out orders, sabotaging their own equipment and even accidentally shooting down their own aircraft."

"And even though we believe Putin's advisers are afraid to tell him the truth, what's going on and the extent of these misjudgements must be crystal clear to the regime." Fleming continued, "It all adds up to the strategic miscalculation that Western leaders warned Putin it would be. It's become his personal war, with the cost being paid by innocent people in Ukraine and, increasingly, by ordinary Russians too." He also issued a warning to the Russian cyber attackers. Meanwhile, many technology firms worldwide have offered to help Ukraine stay connected to the outside world.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently been misled by top Russian military and intelligence officials about the military forces' progress in Ukraine, declassified United States intelligence has reportedly shown. During a stop in Algiers on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said that Putin's camp is not telling him the truth about the war and economic sanctions on Russia's economy. Among those outwitting him is Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

Fleming told the audience how Putin has brought to himself what he is trying to avert. "Ukraine with a renewed sense of nationhood, a NATO that is more united than ever, and a global coalition of nations that condemn his actions."

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared to be a light of democracy. Due to the invasion, businesses worldwide have pulled all their transactions and operations out of Russia.