When at the outset of this war retired Colonel General Ivashov declared that a failed strategy could not be rescued by any amount of tinkering in the field, the evidence that this was the case with the war against Ukraine had yet to emerge with as much force as it has in the past week. And it is now increasingly reflected in the Russian media after attacks upon it from the extremists associated with the Kremlin, namely Chechen warlord Kadyrov and chef Prigozhin.

At the weekend populist Komsomol’skaya pravda not only reported on the sudden loss of Lyman to Ukraine but also anticipated the subsequent loss of a series of objectives, publicising Kadyrov’s attack on Colonel General Alexander Lipman, officer commanding forces in Kharkkov and the northern Lugansk region, for failing in his duties, ignoring “elementary military logic” by trying to lead the defence of Lyman from 150 kilometres distant; that he, Kadyrov, had been forewarned of these failings by a spetsnaz major general weeks ago.

Nezavisimaya gazeta, cautious as ever, none the less is finding its courage with the headline: “The Loss of Red Lyman Has Become a Political Problem”. The loss of Lyman has precipitated “a new wave of criticism directed at the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Defence and the General Staff coming not only from experts but politicians as well. For the first time since the beginning of the special operation commentators have openly named military commanders apparently responsible for the problems arising at the front. The reaction of the Kremlin to what has been said has not followed and it is unknown whether the top leadership will take any decisions about appointments.”

Quoting Kadirov, Prigozhin and other critics, including Lt. General Gurulev, a Duma deputy and former commander of the 58th army, who indicated that the problem was not just military but also political, the article continues: “Those serving in the armed forces, experts and politicians now await the reaction of the Kremlin to these resounding declarations.”

Komsomol’skaya pravda: 2 октября 2022 14:35
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Nezavisimaya gazeta: 3 October 2022.