By Trendsetter Tribune 
Russian officers are reportedly demanding transfers away from the frontline around Pokrovsk in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, amid rising fears of heavy losses and frustration with battlefield leadership.
According to partisan group ATESH, which supports Ukraine, officers serving in the 39th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade are pleading to be reassigned to rear positions, describing the Pokrovsk sector as one of the most dangerous postings in the war.
The reports emerge as Russia faces intensified Ukrainian strikes deep inside its territory during Orthodox Christmas Eve, alongside geopolitical pressures linked to unrest in Iran and the U.S. detention of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro — a long-time Kremlin ally.
“Demotivated” and threatened with punishment
ATESH claims officers are being reprimanded or threatened with career-ending penalties if they report frontline setbacks.
The group alleges commanders are forcing officers to sign documents that paint a misleadingly “stable” picture of conditions that do not reflect reality. Many, it says, feel poorly prepared for the terrain and fear constant attacks from Ukrainian forces and partisans.
They reportedly worry local residents have already passed on information about Russian command posts and troop movements to Ukrainian defense units.
Allegations of “drunk commanders” in Zaporizhzhia
Separate reports suggest serious discipline problems inside units operating in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region.
Troops from the 74th Motor Rifle Regiment allegedly told ATESH that some commanders issue orders while intoxicated, contributing to what they describe as “catastrophic” losses — as many as 100 killed and wounded per month in one battalion.
“The fate of the battalion depends not on tactics and the enemy, but on how much the commanders have drunk today,” one account claimed.
These allegations cannot be independently verified and have not been publicly addressed by Russian authorities.
Ongoing strikes and civilian impact
Meanwhile, the conflict has continued to spill over into urban and civilian areas. Ukrainian strikes on Orthodox Christmas Eve reportedly triggered explosions and fires at an oil facility in Lipetsk, while a downed drone in Tver killed one person and injured two others.
In Ukraine, Russian attacks struck residential districts in Nikopol, while damage was also reported to infrastructure tied to agricultural giant Bunge, spilling hundreds of tonnes of vegetable oil onto roadways.
Fighting remains active around Pokrovsk, despite Moscow previously claiming the area had been “liberated.”