News Feed

ISW: Russian command changes prevent cohesive campaign in Ukraine

1 min read

Russian failures during its recent offensive likely led to the division of the responsibilities in Ukraine between two Ministry of Defense factions, the Institute for the Study of War said in its special report focusing on Russian military command changes since Feb. 24, 2022.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s initial reluctance to appoint an overall theater commander led to “cascading effects on the Russian military, including fueling intense factionalization, disorganizing command structures, and feeding unattainable expectations,” the report said.

The D.C.-based think tank suggested that reluctance could have stemmed from Putin’s fear that certain military commanders would amass too much power due to the appointment.

As Putin prefers to demote personnel instead of dismissing them, these rotations also prevented the creation of a stable command structure.

The anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive will likely inform Putin’s decision about the leaders of the Russian military.

“The Russian commander who faces the main direction of the potential upcoming counteroffensive will either demonstrate resounding success in defeating the counteroffensive or notable failure,” according to the report. The results will likely determine how favorably the commander will compare to the rest of the Russian military leaders.

Ukraine war latest: Oil depot fire in Sevastopol ‘preparation’ for counteroffensive, says military spokesperson
Key developments on April 30: * Ukraine, US’ top generals talk of counteroffensive possible scenarios * Zelensky discusses military needs with Macron * Fire at oil depot in Sevastopol is ‘preparations’ for counteroffensive, says military * Intelligence chief pledges to eliminate Russian war cri…
Article image
Avatar
The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.

Read more
News Feed

The World Bank will provide $200 million over the next five years to prepare Ukrainian projects for large-scale reconstruction, the Economy Ministry announced on July 11. The funding will be available under the five-year PREPARE program with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA).

Video

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, war has become a daily reality for thousands of Ukrainian children. Some Ukrainian military units, such as the Azov Brigade, offer boot camps for teenagers to teach them the basics of self-defense, first aid, dry firing, and other survival skills — helping them prepare for both the realities of today and the uncertainties of the future.

Show More