Putin Banned Russian Officials From Resigning During Ukraine War Despite 'Many' Wanting To Leave

Russian President Vladimir Putin banned Kremlin officials from resigning from their positions following Moscow's launch of its unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February of last year.

While Putin's decree was unofficial, Kremlin officials who attempted to leave their positions were threatened with prosecution, a report published Monday by independent Russian publication iStories said, citing four sources with knowledge of the Russian leader's ban.

"I am aware of at least two cases when governors tried to leave their posts, but in the UVP (the internal policy department of the presidential administration). They were not just banned, but hinted at criminal cases," said a former FSB officer who spoke to the outlet on the condition of anonymity.

Another source said there were many Kremlin officials who wanted to leave, leading to the ban in an attempt to "demonstrate unity" amid the Ukrainian war.

"There are many who want [to leave] after the start of the war. If everyone leaves, control will be lost," the source said.

The outlet had previously published a story wherein several FSB officers were complaining about not being able to quit their roles after Putin announced a partial mobilization of Russian reservists in September of last year. According to a presidential decree, servicemen under contract, including the FSB, are not allowed to quit even after their contract ends.

News of the ban comes as Ukraine makes steady gains in the embattled city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast. The city has been the site of heavy fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops over the past months, but Kyiv managed to retake 10 Russian positions in the northern and southern outskirts of the city.

"Today, our units captured more than ten enemy positions in the north and south of the outskirts of Bakhmut and cleared a large area of the forest massif in the Ivanivske district. Enemy soldiers from different parts were captured," Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Mailar announced.

It also comes after Moscow admitted that it lost two high-ranking commanders in Bakhmut. Colonel Vyacheslav Makarov, commander of the 4th motorized rifle brigade, and Colonel Yevgeny Brovko, the deputy commander of the army corps, were confirmed dead.

As of Monday, Russia has lost a total of 199,460 troops in combat, including 580 who were killed over the past day, per estimates from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.