LUGANSK, December 20. /TASS/. Ukrainian troops are seriously troubled over the Zelensky regime’s move to clamp down disobedience by toughening criminal penalties for defying orders, Andrey Marochko, an officer with the Lugansk People’s Republic’s (LPR) People’s Militia, told TASS on Tuesday, citing intelligence.

According to him, Ukrainian troops are actively discussing a bill amending the Ukrainian Criminal Code, which is supposed to regulate "certain aspects of military service under martial law and in combat situations."

"The bill sparked an extremely negative reaction in the army as it significantly tightens the criminal liability of military servicemen for disobeying orders, making threats or using violence against their superiors, abandoning a military base or a duty station without permission, defecting and other serious offenses. Rank-and-rifle soldiers say that it justifies illegal actions by officers against their subordinates. Moreover, in their view, it is almost impossible to appeal against these accusations under the current conditions," Marochko noted.

The LPR militia officer also said that many Ukrainian troops were calling home asking their family members "to picket military enlistment offices and state agencies."