Ultranationalists and milbloggers in Russia are increasingly critical of the Russian military leadership. Their main accusation: the lack of effective middle military officers fighting on the front lines in Ukraine. Allegations have been leveled that these officers instituted unnecessary bureaucratic processes, mistreated wounded and fallen military personnel, and relayed orders that contributed to military casualties. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), even a middle military officer, after being ordered to avoid bureaucracy by higher ranks, is said to have ordered exactly the opposite.
A particular criticism ISW makes is the accusation by some bloggers that the anger shouldn’t be aimed primarily at middle military officers, but rather at senior officials. They are accused of appointing bad commanders. It is argued that at the top of the military leadership there is a system that does not rely on the recruitment and training of a new generation of middle officers, but sends outdated and ineffective commanders to the front lines.
Incompetent officers remain a hot topic in Russia
Furthermore, ISW suggests that there is a preference in the Russian military command for loyalty over competence. Some bloggers believe that without sweeping changes in Russian military leadership, this problematic culture within the military will persist. Ineffective officers and a lack of competent recruits remain a controversial issue in the Russian information space.
Ukraine update in the morning – Ukraine spreads fear and terror among Russians with new “sea baby”.