AFU Colonel: Russian Army Is Trapped

Who will be blamed?

During the 15 months of the war, Putin changed the commanders of the Russian occupiers in Ukraine 17 times. Including three times the commander of the entire group. What does it say?

The Charter97.org website addressed this question to Ukrainian military analyst, reserve colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Petro Chernik.

— The military structure of the Russian Federation could not withstand the competition of a big war. They really thought that in three days, a maximum of a week, they would liquidate Ukrainian statehood, but it turned out that their entire “second-best army of the world” was a huge props.

So they are trying to find at least some personnel solutions in order to improve the military situation in the strategic trap they have fallen into.

There is another important nuance. Russia has always been distinguished in the historical context by such a phenomenon as the absolute centralization of military power. Officers were never selected there on the basis of moral, business or intellectual qualities, but were chosen solely on the basis of loyalty to the highest official.

Even Peter I on this occasion has a very good expression: “I order the boyars in the Duma to speak according to the unwritten, so that everyone’s nonsense is visible!” That's not otherwise.

Now you need to understand the moment that a serious confrontation is growing between the “Kremlin towers”. Someone has to be made a culprit. The question is who it will be. Or it will be the “tower” of Bortnikov-Patrushev. It is stronger and it was they who convinced Putin that this war can be won. Or it will be the “tower” of Shoigu-Gerasimov, who did not cope with the task. This personnel reshuffling is nothing more than Putin balancing between these two big towers.

— What does this mean in the context of the war?

— The more tension, chaos there is, the more mistakes will be made. This will make a small useful factor for us, but a very small one. From the rearrangement of the places of the terms, the sum does not change. For us, all Russians are bad, there are no good Russians.

— Recent statements by Prigozhin that he can withdraw Wagner PMC from Bakhmut have become noteworthy. What do these words mean?

— As I said, this is the escalation of the struggle between the “Kremlin towers”. Let's watch and see how it all ends. But I will emphasize once again my position, no matter what happens, our leader of the early 20th century, Symon Petlyura, has a good saying: “Russian democracy ends where the Ukrainian question begins.”

By the way, this expression is also applicable to Belarus. For Russians, we are “part of their people.” They will not give up “greatness”, no matter who they are in power and what personnel changes do take place. This is the key detail.

In this situation, all that remains for us is to crush the Russian army, to inflict a final defeat on Moscow imperialism. Carthage must be destroyed. Both our and your peoples will receive a real civilized life only when the Russian Federation dies. Until then, we have no prospects. We fight to the death, and you have your own historical path.