Russia to deploy musicians at front-line to boost morale of troops

Photo : AP

Moscow: Russia is planning to send musicians to the border to boost the morale of the troops. Russian Defence Ministry announced the formation of the ‘front-line creative brigade’ this week. The brigade would include both vocalists and musicians. The creation of the ‘front-line creative’ brigade was highlighted in an intelligence update by the UK’s ministry of defence on Sunday.

The UK intelligence report noted that the new creative brigade is formed in keeping with the historic use of ‘military music and organised entertainment’ to boost morale. It also comes in the aftermath of a recent campaign, urging the public to donate musical instruments to troops.

‘The brigade will consist of troops mobilised under President Putin’s recruitment drive, as well as professional artists who voluntarily entered military service,’ as per the Russian outlet RBC news.

The unit will be ‘tasked with maintaining a high moral, political and psychological state [among] the participants of the special military operation,’ the outlet cited the Russian defence ministry.

The report comes against the backdrop of Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu’s visit to frontline troops in Ukraine. The Russian defence ministry noted that Shoigu ‘flew around the areas of deployment of troops and checked the advanced positions of Russian units in the zone of the special military operation’ in a message posted to Telegram.

It added that he ‘spoke with troops on the frontline’ and at a ‘command post’, as per BBC. It was, however, not clear when the visit took place.