Although Russia has caused devastation in the poorer, more fragile country of Ukraine in Putin’s war for global power, their military has shown signs of being ill-prepared for the type of widespread and sustained attack Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered in Ukraine.
🚨JUST IN: Russian commanders have been killed as Vladimir Putin’s plan to invade Ukraine has been marred by blunders, a western official said today.
One of them reportedly died after being targeted by a sniper https://t.co/59IbMYb66y
— Evening Standard (@standardnews) March 4, 2022
As the Russian advance into Ukraine by its 40 miles of military tanks, trucks, and other equipment stalls, the deaths of “several” Russian commanders who may have joined in with frontline forces after becoming impatient as a result of the long delay.
According to The Evening Standard, who cited a western official as a source:
‘Several Russian commanders had been killed, some of them having ventured forward closer to the frontline, believed to be after getting frustrated at the failure of Kremlin forces to make more progress. The fatalities were said to include the deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army, Major General Andrei Sukhovetsky, reportedly shot by a sniper, as well as a divisional commander and a regimental commander. At least one Ilyushin Il-76 Russian military transport plane has been shot down.’
Another blow to Moscow: Senior Russian commanders killed trying to boost morale on front line https://t.co/jafeeIsJpK via @Telegraph
— Nile Gardiner (@NileGardiner) March 4, 2022
As a number of blunders are noted by those studying the conflict in Ukraine, officials in Europe say that the lack of progress will cause Putin to react with an even more “barbaric” strategy than the one currently playing out in Ukraine. According to reporters on the ground, the city of Kharkiv is under attack and Mariupol is in danger of being destroyed entirely. Despite these already devastating attacks, Putin will want a show of force, although he says publicly that everything is going to plan in Ukraine.
‘Mr Putin insists his invasion is going to plan, calling it a “special operation”, with media in Russia that refer to it as a war being closed down. However, defence chiefs in the West are understood to have been surprised that it has been so flawed with military mistakes, which Russian forces are believed to be repeating due to a lack of flexibility.’
It is difficult to know how much the Russian army is stumbling at this point, with death counts and other information skewed by both sides: Ukraine to keep up morale and reassure its citizens that the fight continues and Russia to convince their people and the rest of the world that they are making great progress against the smaller country.
‘The Ukrainian authorities claim more than 9,000 Russian troops have been killed since the invasion started last Thursday, a figure which is most likely exaggerated. The Kremlin has admitted to 498 Russian casualties, which defence sources in the West believe to be a significant underestimate.’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67Uj2L5s4Qg
