Ukraine news latest: Vladimir Putin’s failing troops forced to pay for OWN armour amid Russian army’s ‘poor performance’

RUSSIAN conscripts are being forced to pay for their OWN body armour to take on the battlefield, according to British intelligence. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) claims prices for equipment are soaring on Russian resale sites – with the price of combat armour tripling since April to a whopping £570 as the Ukraine war rages on. The agency also added that equipment provided by Putin’s Government for its failing, tired soldiers would “almost certainly be lower than the already poor provision of previously deployed troops”. A statement reads: “Many reservists are likely required to purchase their own body armour, especially the modern 6B45 vest, which is meant to be on general issue to combat units as part of the Ratnik personal equipment programme.” Meanwhile, the first Russian soldiers to take part in a new joint force with Belarusian troops have arrived in Belarus, Minsk’s defence ministry said on Saturday, whose mission is “to exclusively to strengthen the protection and defence of the border”. Read our Ukraine-Russia live blog below for the latest updates…