Russian commanders are punishing disobedient troopers by throwing them in caged pits, the Ministry of Defence believes.

Troops have been pressured into makeshift dungeons for being drunk or refusing to battle.

The so-called ‘Zindan’ cells are holes within the floor lined with steel grates. They are considered just some ft deep and, in footage posted on-line, they seem to have been swiftly dug with the naked earth nonetheless seen and steel grilles precariously weighed down on concrete breeze blocks.

In the early days of the invasion, Russian commanders had been comparatively undemanding, permitting objectors to quietly return dwelling.

READ MORE: More than half of Russian deaths in war 'did not come from Ukrainian bullets'

But draconian self-discipline has been on the rise since late final yr, based on the MoD, and has escalated below Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, who assumed command of the warfare in January.

He was introduced in to guide the warfare after complaints about provide chains and Russia’s lack of progress.

Despite holding a low profile within the months earlier than, his heightened standing places duty for Russia’s efficiency on his shoulders.

Zindans had been initially utilized by Imperial Russian armies when holding prisoners in central Asia.

Although the MoD can’t categorically say the Zindans are getting used, intelligence suggests it's seemingly with as much as 75% certainty.

The MoD has seen a number of reviews from Russian personnel suggesting the identical factor.

In one video shared on messaging app Telegram, volunteer soldier Flarit Baitemirov of the 1199th regiment mentioned he was being detained in a three-metre deep pit for consuming with different troops.

When the video emerged final week, he mentioned he had been underground for 4 weeks, threatened with legal prosecution. Other troops had been with him.

In one other, a soldier mentioned he had been in a cell with different troops for 3 days with out meals.

Pavel Gorelov, who mentioned he was from the 99th regiment, mentioned: "The situation is this: my comrades-in-arms allowed themselves to drink a little beer, they were turned in, the military police arrived and we were put in the pit. The pit was like this: we were in the mud, in the rain, we were all wet.

"My comrades-in-arms had their faces smashed in ... I ask for assist, I ask the army prosecutor's workplace to carry the commander liable for these pits."

The MoD's latest defence intelligence update said “there have been multiple increasingly draconian initiatives to improve discipline in the force” since Autumn 2022.

It added: "In latest months, Russian commanders have seemingly began punishing breaches in self-discipline by detaining the offending troops in 'Zindans' that are improvised cells consisting of holes within the floor lined with a steel grille.

"Multiple reviews from Russian personnel give comparable accounts of being positioned in Zindans for misdemeanours together with drunkenness and trying to terminate their contracts.”

The intelligence comes as shelling hit Donetsk, Kherson and Kharkiv, within the early hours at the moment. Two accidents had been reported in Kherson, the place the native authorities is making ready for mass evacuations if heavy assault continues, native reviews say. No different accidents had been reported.