Putin criticism from the military elite?
"Siloviki" are allegedly demanding a new level of escalation in Ukraine
Created: 05/03/2022, 04:45
By: Linus Prien
Vladimir Putin © IMAGO/Alexander Demianchuk
The Russian military and intelligence elite are reportedly calling for an escalation of the war in Ukraine.
So far, Russia has acted too cautiously.
Moscow – The Russian military elite apparently insists on more far-reaching attacks in the escalating Ukraine conflict.
The
Focus
reports , citing the Center for European Political Analysis (CEPA) in Washington.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's military goals are not enough for the Russian military elite, the so-called "siloviki", they say.
According to CEPA, parts of the Russian army consider Russia's strategy to be catastrophic.
According to these views, Russia is not waging a war against Ukraine, but against NATO.
The US think tank, in turn, referred to high-ranking intelligence officials in its presentation.
Ukraine war: Russia wants to take Donbass and south of the country - not enough for "siloviki"?
In the war against Ukraine, Russia is officially aiming for complete control over the entire Donbass and the south of the country.
This has been one of the army's tasks since the beginning of the "second phase of the special operation", Major General Rustam Minnekayev said on Friday, according to Russian news agencies.
One goal is to create a land connection between the annexed Crimea and areas occupied by Russia.
According to Minnekayev, deputy commander of the troops of the Central Russian Military District, control of southern Ukraine could also put Russia in a position to support the pro-Russian separatists in Transnistria in Moldova.
This would also create a "corridor to Transnistria," where there are "also cases of oppression of the Russian-speaking population," he said.
Russia in the Ukraine War: Call for More Violence in the Military Elite?
According to some sections of the siloviki, however, the Russian military is behaving too cautiously.
According to the CEPA, some Russian military officials believe that Russia is only fighting under "peace restrictions".
So far, Russia has only launched airstrikes on key areas of Ukraine's infrastructure.
Reports of destroyed theatres, hospitals and residential areas paint a different picture.
Some members of Russia's military elite are now calling for all-out war, writes
Focus
.
Another allegation is that the Russian secret service FSB does not inform Putin properly.
The former head of the responsible department, Sergei Beseda, is said to have already been arrested and is in prison.
Ukraine war: calls for escalation behind the scenes?
There is also talk of nuclear weapons
According to
Focus
, Russian blogger and intelligence veteran Alexander Arutyunov has also called for the war in Ukraine to escalate.
In a video addressed to Putin, he is said to have said: "Dear Vladimir, make up your mind, are we fighting a war or are we just playing around?" The video is said to have subsequently gone viral in Russian intelligence and military circles.
Another Russian Telegram channel associated with the Russian Air Force announced that from now on more Ukrainian targets will be attacked in order to stop arms shipments from the West.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had also indicated this.
In addition, according to the report, the channel claimed that further successes by Ukrainian troops would “almost certainly provoke the use of nuclear weapons”.
Ukraine war: Putin allegedly facing new criticism from military circles
The differences of opinion between the Kremlin chief Putin and parts of his military elite are a new phenomenon in this form.
According to
Focus
, the siloviki were united behind the Russian president when Crimea was annexed in 2014.
It is likely that the Ukraine war will escalate further.
Although Putin is the supreme commander, it is still the military and the secret service that carry out the military actions.
(LP/AFP)
