London, 12 February 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Russia is likely experiencing its highest loss of soldiers since the first week of the war against Ukraine, according to the latest British defence intelligence analysis.

"Over the past two weeks, Russia has likely suffered its highest rate of casualties since the first week of the invasion of Ukraine," the British Ministry of Defence tweeted on Sunday, citing daily figures released by the Ukrainian General Staff.

Although London could not verify the figures, "the trends the data illustrate are likely accurate," the ministry tweeted in its latest intelligence update.

The average for the last seven days was 824 casualties per day, it wrote, more than four times the rate reported in June-July. "Ukraine also continues to suffer a high attrition rate," it added.

Reasons for the increased casualty rate likely included a "lack of trained personnel, coordination, and resources across the front," the ministry wrote, pointing to Russia's failure to seize the strategic town of Bakhmut as an example.

The British Ministry of Defence has been publishing updates on the war since Russia's full-scale invasion began almost a year ago. The aim is to counter the Russian narrative. Moscow accuses London of a disinformation campaign.