Russia hardliner reports from the front - and tears up Putin's strategy in its entirety

Created: 12/07/2022 11:39 am

By: Luke Rogalla

Igor Girkin was the military leader of the "Donetsk People's Republic".

After two months at the front, he sharply criticizes Russia's government – ​​the pressure on Putin is growing.

Donetsk – Russia wanted to conquer Ukraine quickly, but the Kremlin's military plans have almost completely failed.

The Ukraine war has now been going on for more than nine months, and the Ukrainian armed forces have recently recaptured more and more areas.

Again and again there are reports about the desolate state of the Russian army and the fragile morale of the soldiers.

Fighting is currently taking place primarily in eastern Ukraine.

Now a hardliner from Moscow has spoken up, giving an insight from the front - and from a Russian point of view has nothing positive to report.

Ukraine war: Igor Girkin criticizes Russia's planlessness

Igor Girkin was a military leader of the separatist "Donetsk People's Republic" (DNR).

He has been one of the toughest critics of Vladimir Putin and the Russian government since the fighting began in 2014.

Even shortly after Russia's invasion on February 24, 2022, he was not very optimistic about a victory over Ukraine.

The army is too haphazard for him.

In October, Girkin announced that he would go to eastern Ukraine himself and fight for Russia, according to the US think tank Institute for the Study of War.

Girkin has now returned to Moscow and on his Telegram channel he once again rants about the lack of strategy between the Russian army and the separatist fighters.

Igor Girkin, former military leader of the self-proclaimed People's Republic of Donetsk, describes his impressions of the Ukraine war.

(Archive photo) © Bulent Kilic/AFP

Girkin, also known by the name of Igor Ivanovich Strelkov and known as "Strelok" (shooter), claims that he was unable to enlist in a volunteer battalion.

As a result, he illegally joined a DNR battalion.

As a result, he was also illegally with weapons and ammunition in the military area for two months.

Girkin writes, "If anything had happened to me on those voyages... must I explain that it would be merely 'amateurism of the adventurer Girkin' or (at best) an accident while engaged in 'volunteering'?"

The Russian army is probably preparing “protracted trench warfare” in Ukraine

Girkin reported that he was in the city of Svatove in Luhansk Oblast.

He did not experience any shelling, although his battalion was within range of Ukrainian shelling.

Girkin criticized the lack of commitment and planlessness of the commanders on site.

He accuses them of having insufficiently informed him about the bad conditions at the front, despite "very solid" material support on his part.

However, the hardliner's criticism by no means ends with those responsible on the ground: Most soldiers and officers have no idea what they are fighting for, he complained.

Even Russia's top leadership couldn't really explain that to them.

So there is no clear goal.

According to Girkin, this also explains the low morale and mounting setbacks on the part of Russia.

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Russian forces are currently preparing for a "protracted trench warfare" and establishing a line of defense, Girkin wrote.

Such a strategy is "suicidal" for Russia.

He criticized that the Russian government and army had lost sight of the stated goal of "denazification" of Ukraine - they were content with the "liberation" of the Donbass.

Russian hardliner fears successful counteroffensive by Ukraine

Girkin believes that the Kremlin's strategy of bombing Ukraine's critical infrastructure is not very effective.

The population and army would neither freeze nor revolt as a result of these attacks.

The winter will not prevent the Ukrainian fighters from a successful counter-offensive.

Quite the opposite, Girkin fears, Ukraine will be even more motivated and will see above all apathy among the Russian opponents.

He sees little chance of Russian successes at the front.

Girkin himself is a staunch nationalist and pro-war advocate.

His impressions point to rifts in the military leadership and strategic chaos beginning at the top of the Kremlin.

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