![]() In general, Putin has effectively made the Russian Ministry of Defense a scapegoat for all Russian military failures, burdening Shoygu and Gerasimov with a reputation of incompetence and repeated failures that they are unlikely to overcome, the analysts emphasize. However, the allowance of a quasi-commander like Prigozhin to conduct his own military campaign without subordination to the formal chain of command is deemed “extremely rare and severely undermines the authority of the official military leadership,” according to the analysts. Overall, the supreme commander’s attempts to solicit the opinions of subordinates who oppose the senior military leadership are seen as “problematic but not an uncommon phenomenon” in armies. “Putin fostered an environment where military personnel, officials, and even Russian ‘war correspondents’ circumvented Shoygu and Gerasimov to present their own interpretations of the current state of the war and recommendations on how to proceed to Putin,” recalls ISW. Throughout the war, the dictator effectively undermined the authority of Shoygu and Gerasimov, especially as military failures on the front line tarnished their reputations. Read also: Wagner mercenaries to share experience with Belarusian military, says defense ministry ISW highlights that Putin consistently bypassed or disregarded the established command structure, often directly contacting lower-ranking commanders in the hopes of achieving swift success on the battlefield. The consistent disregard for the chain of command within the Russian command structure by the Kremlin has likely hindered Sergei Shoygu and Valery Gerasimov in their efforts to suppress defiance and establish complete control over the Russian army in Ukraine. Later on, Teplinsky publicly voiced his dissatisfaction and implied the responsibility of the higher command, following which he was reintegrated into operations in Ukraine. Teplinsky was one of those commanders, and he was suspended in January following a likely altercation with Valery Gerasimov regarding the involvement of elite VDV forces in aggressive “meat-grinder” attacks in Donbas. ![]() This pertains to the winter of 2023, when the Russian Ministry of Defense attempted significant personnel changes within the Armed Forces to replace commanders who were unwilling to subordinate themselves to Shoygu and Gerasimov during the invasion of Ukraine. Teplinsky himself has previously set a precedent for acts of insubordination, which are now being observed within the Russian army. If the authenticity of this audio is verified, it effectively signifies a threat of widespread desertion by Russian military personnel defending Teplinsky. Particularly, in an alleged audio recording purportedly distributed by fighters from the 7th VDV Division, Russian military personnel threaten to withdraw from their positions in the occupied Kherson Oblast if the Russian Ministry of Defense arrests VDV commander Mikhail Teplinsky or poses a threat to his life. Read also: Russian MoD seizes Wagner Group military equipmentĪccording to ISW analysts, it is speculated that in most instances, commanders are being dismissed or suspended due to signs of insubordination, which appear to be spreading among certain soldiers. They also report that the aforementioned accounts pertain to Russian units involved in defensive and offensive operations on strategic fronts in Ukraine, including Zaporizhzhya Oblast and the flanks of the Bakhmut direction, as well as areas further west in the Kremlin-controlled Luhansk Oblast (specifically where the 90th Tank Division is attempting offensive actions). ISW has not yet confirmed the dismissals of Seliverstov, Kornev, or the arrest of Ibatullin, “although these claims follow a pattern similar to that of previous claims of command changes that have proven true,” the analysts note. Reports from Russian sources indicate that the Russian Ministry of Defense might be preparing to arrest Lieutenant General Mikhail Teplinsky, commander of the Russian Airborne Troops (VDV). ![]() Pro-Kremlin war correspondents speculate that Colonel Sergei Karasov, commander of the 31st VDV Brigade, may also face dismissal. Major General Ramil Ibatullin, commander of the 90th Tank Division (Eastern Military District), and his two unnamed deputies, are potentially facing arrest, although no confirmation has been provided, and dates of events remain unspecified. On July 15, personnel from the 7th Guards Mountain Airborne Division (VDV) released an audio message, alleging that Major General Alexander Kornev, commander of the 7th VDV Division, was dismissed by the Russian military command in early July. Major General Vladimir Seliverstov, commander of the 106th Guards Airborne Division, has reportedly been dismissed, but no official confirmation has been made. General Colonel Ivan Popov, commander of the 58th Combined Arms Army, recently confirmed his own dismissal.
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