“during fighting with Russian forces “ -— Shouldn’t that be fighting “against” Russian forces? The media has gone downhill with illiterates and software writing articles.
There has abeen a devolution in the correct use of prepositions and prepositional phrases.
Its also related to social register issues. One would fight with one of close social distance. “I fight with my wife.”
While it is gauche to reduce the social distance towards a more itimate phrasing using “with,” that usage may also reveal a bias in reporting or a softening toward the Russian forces by using this phrasing.
One fights against Russian forces in war. You are abslutely correct. More crapola linguistic spin from the left who now want you to soften towards Russia.
The implied message: “Soften yourself to Pooty!”