UK: Putin's purging senior commanders after Ukraine fiascos

Hot Air ^ | May 19, 2022 | Ed Morrisey

[Timber Rattler]

Let the hunt for scapegoats begin! In the wake of repeated military disasters in his “special military operation” in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has begun a sweeping purge of his top ranking commanders, the UK’s Defence Ministry announced today. This confirms ongoing rumors that Putin’s playing musical chairs in an effort to reverse a series of humiliations at the hands of Volodymyr Zelensky and his surprising home army...

(snip)

So who’s out so far?

1) Lt. Gen. Serhiy Kisel relieved of command from 1st Guards Tank Army for the loss of the battle of Kharkiv

2) Vice Admiral Igor Osipov relieved of command from the Black Sea fleet for the loss of of the Moskva

3) Chief of General Staff Valeriy Gerasimov remains in place but apparently bypassed by Putin

That’s all that the UKDM has in specific changes, but it’s enough. What do all of these have in common? A tacit admission, at the very least, of the defeats inflicted on Russian forces by Ukrainians. Up to now, Russia has pretended that the Moskva didn’t get sunk but rather had some sort of accident that crippled the ship. They haven’t yet even acknowledged getting pushed away from Kharkiv, for that matter. You don’t fire commanders in the middle of a war for an accident and a retreat that never took place.

That brings us to the broader tacit acknowledgement: Russia is getting its rear end kicked in Ukraine.

[Timber Rattler]

Apparently Putin is now in Hitler's "bunker meltdown mode," moving around non-existent units on a map, while sacking his generals.

"Why is Steiner not attacking?"

Steiner's Attack

[BigEdLB]

How long before Putin is removed by the generals, or by God (The cancer)?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Aren’t his top commanders were purging themselves on the Ukraine battlefield all by themselves?

[Its All Over Except ...]

Where is the UK Defense Ministry evidence a “sweeping purge” will occur. Can they prove it will occur?

Just trust them?

Why when so much from the Brits and U.S. liberal MSM outlets turned out to be false, has been peppered with “inside sources” info, “anonymous sources,” wild claims that never came to pass, and the TV telling us “Putin wants this... here is Russia’s next steps... Here is what is going on” and then when it didn’t the TV said “See, Putin failed his objectuves” while never accepting the possibility that sleight of hand, putting x amount of troops near Kyiv to hold 3X as many Ukrainian troops there was a possibility.

Oh well, I guess we should just believe whatever the TV, the liberal MSM, and the genius U.S. generals who bungled the Afghanistan withdrawl tell us.

[Leaning Right]

Hitler: “Why is Steiner not attacking?”
Putin: “Why is Marshal Zhukov not attacking?”

Marshal Zhukov was unavailable for comment.

[buwaya]

This is an editorial. Ymmv as usual with editorials.

The news item this is based on is an official statement of the UK Ministry of Defense. The MOD may be entirely wrong, but if they say something it is news, full stop. So would statements from the Russian MOD.

Its up to us to take this stuff and process it for accuracy and relevance.

[The Sons of Liberty]

UK: Putin's purging senior commanders after Ukraine fiascos

Generally, between fragging and enemy action, this is automatic and requires no intervention.

[MercyFlush]

“Apparently Putin is now in Hitler’s “bunker meltdown mode,” moving around non-existent units on a map, while sacking his generals.”

At least Putin still has the 345th Motorized Keyboard Division fighting to conquer Free Republic for him!

[buwaya]

How do you know that there were 3X the number of Ukrainian troops at Kiev? The count of active brigades in the Ukrainian Army does not support that. The bulk of them, as now, were in the East on the Donbas front. There were few reserves the Ukes could throw at the incursions from Kiev to Kharkiv. Most of the “front” there, such as it is in this war, was held by militia.

Have you examined the force structure of each side, identified higher and lower units, figured out the timing of commitment, reinforcement and withrawal? If you have, please be so kind as to post the tables with this information.

[Its All Over Except ...]

Where? From reliable news sources that are populist, nationalist, love America, love Trump, despise liberal, globalist MSM outlets that havw repeatedly put out debunked info such as Ghost of Kyiv, Snake Island didn’t surrender, etc.

[Its All Over Except ...]

Secondly, it isn’t my job to prove anything.

It is the Brit and U.S. media job to prove what they are told and report and they’ve done an abysmal job so far at this and have been exposed more than once for shoddy reporting.

[conejo99]

“How do you know that there were 3X the number of Ukrainian troops at Kiev? “
I have no idea if that number is correct, but I can believe it. Even so I don’t think it makes much difference. I believe the troupes near Kiev were its local defense forces and were less well armed. I’m not sure they are the kinds of troupes needed in the Donbas but they would probably have been useful in Kherson. On the other hand the troupes and equipment and respect Russia lost in its northern campaign would obviously have been better spent concentrated further south and east.

[fireman15]

It is incredibly entertaining to read the comments on these types of threads. Yes, we must stop the replacement of the corrupt Soros influenced regime at all costs. The Russians are losing! the Russians are losing! Putin is dying! Putin is dying! Look at the shiny object and don't worry about what else is going on in the world.

Sorry but the Russians are currently raking in billions upon billions more money every month from exports of oil and gas since their “invasion” began. They are laughing all the way to the bank. Over 80% of the world's population couldn't give a rat's butt about the “sanctions”. And guess who is paying for it all? The economies of the Western countries are cratering under the strain. The Russians don't want this to stop. We are making them richer than they ever dreamed was possible.

Meanwhile the retards in the world think this is all some sort of video game with supposedly the Russians losing and our team led by Zelinsky winning. Do you really think that under the leadership of Biden we are winning anything? What a joke! But don't worry, Zelinsky and his family have already been granted UK citizenship. He has socked away billions while playing his part. When the Russians figure they have sucked enough money from the West they will tire of this game and suddenly it will end.

My retirement has already lost 15% to 20% of its value and home values will likely crater next. But don't worry mortgage rates will soar to Carter era levels so homes will still be unaffordable. And inflation, let's not even get started on that one.

I just hope that the price of this fantasy war game crap is going to be worth it for all the armchair generals in the audience, because it is going to be costly for the rest of us.

[Owen]

Best to stick with facts that mean things. Not an emphasis on pieces of paper with ink on them created from thin air by central banks.

1) This is the first war in the history of mankind where both sides have access to excellent satellite recon. Make no mistake here, this is more important by a factor of 10 than any other issue. It changes everything in warfare.

2) The Russians now hold the nuclear power plant at Zaporihzhia. It is functioning. This power plant is 1/2 of all nuclear sourced electric power in Ukraine and 24% of all electric power of any kind in Ukraine. The mayor of Metripol has said it will remain Russian.

3) Another nuclear power plant is close to the Kherson Mykolaiv front to the west and north of Odessa. Control of that, plus Zaporhzhia, will constitute 1/2 of all Ukraine electricity.

3) Russian oil output is about 1.3 million barrels/day below OPEC+ quota. OPEC itself is down substantially from its quota. Much of the decline was pre Ukraine. Russian oil is diesel rich, unlike US shale. The most diesel rich oil on the planet is Libya’s and they are in the midst of new upheaval. They flow 1 million bpd and if that stops, it’s at a very bad time.

4) This is the sort of analysis that matters. Not who is a Nazi or who is not. Not who committed or did not commit warcrimes. Not who has what health issue. None of that stuff matters. You will hear nothing of it in 40 yrs. All you will care about then is who controls electricity, oil and gas.

[proxy_user]

I suspect is was Putin himself who ordered the three consecutive river crossings in the same place. No local commander who can see what is actually going on would be dumb enough to do that.

[Cathi]

Milley sure is chatty lately....

Ministry of Defense of Russia
🇬🇧🇺🇸📞On May 19, 2022, at the initiative of the American side, a telephone conversation took place between the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation General of the Army Valery Gerasimov and Chairman of the Committee of Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of the United States of America General Mark Milley .

Issues of mutual interest were discussed, including the situation in Ukraine.

[fireman15]

Russian oil and gas revenues are soaring far beyond expectations... The “sanctions” are counterproductive.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2022/05/08/russias-oil-revenues-are-soaring/?sh=7af0ee454e34

[buwaya]

Tables, please. Of units and timing. You asserted something as a fact, and I say it isnt.

[Owen]

That’s printed pieces of paper.

Only the barrel count matters. It doesn’t change at the whimsy of a handful of guys at NYMEX.

[ontap]

Putin is learning what happens when one allows funding of your defense to go to oligarchs so they an buy billion dollar yachts!!!