Russia expert suspects Kremlin cover-up: Putin "kept war secret from soldiers"

Created: 03/03/2022 17:31

By: Max Darga

The picture released by the Russian state news agency Sputnik shows Russian soldiers riding on an armored vehicle.

© picture alliance/dpa/Sputnik |

Anton Vergun

Did Putin send soldiers to the front with a lie in the Ukraine conflict?

Security policy expert Gustav Ressel considers the theory to be realistic.

Kyiv/Moscow - Russian troops are fighting the Ukrainian population in the escalating Ukraine conflict, bombing residential areas and still faltering.

As Ukraine receives support and donations from around the world, questions are growing about Putin's support among his people.

Rumors are circulating about the Russian soldiers on the mission that some of them didn't even know what to expect - that they were told that it was a training mission.

The expert on security policy, Gustav Ressel, gave a shocking assessment of this and the current status of the Ukraine war.

Ukraine war: Russia expert speaks of "preparation for psychological warfare"

One is currently in "the tough phase, where Russia is trying to use its firepower to take the cities that it was previously unable to take with rapid operations," explains Ressel in an interview with the

.

One tries to weaken the morale of the population and thereby also the morale of the troops in the population through "intensive artillery bombardment" - also through "intensive preparation for psychological warfare".

Housing estates are targeted for this purpose.

In the current situation you can see what Russia has already observed in Syria and Aleppo.

The destruction of state infrastructure and the disruption of public services.

“Kindergartens, schools, hospitals were attacked and flattened.

And unfortunately we are now seeing the same thing in Ukraine.” According to Ressel, what is currently happening on the fronts should soon be expected across the whole of Ukraine.

Fooled Russian soldiers and forced them to fight in Ukraine?

Expert considers practice to be realistic

When asked if he thinks it is realistic that young soldiers were coerced and deceived about the deployment in Ukraine, Ressel replies: "That is quite a realistic portrayal." Many of the Russian soldiers were not aware that they would be used in a war.

"The Kremlin kept this war a secret from the soldiers."

Ressel assumes that only the closest confidants from the Russian security apparatus and the general staff knew about the war.

"The rest were effectively duped." Often no or too little ammunition was taken with them.

The Russian leadership must have believed in a quick victory, speculates Ressel.

Ressel doubts that there are de-escalating factors within the Russian security apparatus.

He speaks of a "bloodthirsty" apparatus, the nature of which has already been shown in other wars.

"The apparatus deliberately tries to use brutality and terror to signal to others that resistance doesn't stand a chance."

Ukraine war with obsolete weapons?

Expert says: Russia has misjudged

“The Russians certainly thought Ukraine was weaker,” Ressel explains when asked why Russian troops invaded Ukraine with apparently outdated weapons.

The majority of “older material, i.e. Soviet material” is used.

Ressel specifies that it is currently a "modernized Soviet device".

In the first days of the Ukraine war, Russia made both tactical and operational mistakes, the expert continues in an interview.

“They just drove into towns without dismounted infantry, without artillery support.

This apparently in the belief that the Ukrainians are unarmed or that they will now be welcomed here as liberators.” According to Ressel, this was a misjudgment with serious consequences.

In view of Vladimir Putin's plans to erase the "Ukrainian nation as a cultural, social identity", Ressel sees a clear motivation in the Ukrainians, in contrast to the Russian soldiers.

"In that sense, there are of course all reasons to fight for Ukraine."