GRIM ice sculptures of soldiers holding Kalashnikovs have been used to decorate a Russian city in one of the most depressing Christmas displays yet.

The militarised decorations are littered throughout the Siberian city of Chita and are believed to be a patriotic nod to Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.

Usually the streets of the southern city, about 3100 miles from Moscow, have Father Christmas and sleigh sculptures come the festive season.

But images reveal a grim reality that is unfolding across Russia.

The barmy sculptures are chiselled into full army kit and all bear the Soviet Union famed Kalashnikov rifle.

There are more than a dozen of the motionless men.

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According to BBC, local authorities decided the war themed ice sculptures would be an appropriate decoration and a way to encourage support of the Kremlin's drawn out campaign.

Most people approve of the decorations, some even stop to take selfies.

One resident, Tatyana, told the BBC: "We're fighting a war.

"So it's right to have these ice soldiers here – They're topical."

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However, another local found it bizarre.

"It's an unusual way of celebrating the New Year," she said.

"Normally you'd have Santa Claus, bunny rabbits or squirrels… But it's a sign of the times."

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Putin's "special military operation" efforts to quell Ukrainians has been flawed, and viewed as a failure from international pundits.

And as the winter months take hold of the northern hemisphere, the situation is expected to become more grave with soldiers freezing to death.

Ludmila, a local, said she worried about the situation in Ukraine.

She said: "We've got friends who've been mobilised and sent to fight there, we worry about them, we call to see if they're OK… but whatever we may think of our government, our motherland is our motherland, if we don't defend it, who will.

"They are over there to defend Russia from Nazis, there are a lot of them around.

"Russia is being attacked on all fronts, including with LGBT propaganda.

"They're trying to force this upon us, we reject these alien ideas and we embrace Russian values."

Since the start of the war, the Kremlin has established total control of the media landscape in Russia.

Propaganda has convinced many Russians their country is now in some existential battle with the West.

In one case, they promoted a shameless propaganda campaign claiming Britain "staged" horrifying scenes of carnage in Bucha to blame Putin for alleged war crimes.

The far-eastern Zabaykalsky region, where the sculptures stand, is also the same place where a man was recently charged for dreaming about Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ivan Losev posted about his dream on Instagram, and was subsequently taken to court and fined 30,000 roubles (£380) for "discrediting the Russian armed forces."

He told the BBC, cracks were starting to appear in the Kremlin's attempts to brainwash citizens.

"The closer you get to the downfall of an empire, the more stupid the laws become.

"I think this will end with the downfall of Putin's Russia."

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Russia had already conceded many defeats on the battlefield, with despot Putin suffering massive humiliation after his cannon fodder continues to reduce in size.

The warlord's efforts to conscript more men has also not gone to plan, with one man opening fire on a military chief.

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