Russia reinstates fired general to top post as Putin escalates war in eastern Donetsk

Fox News ^ | 1/11/2023 | Caitlin McFall

[marcusmaximus]

Moscow has appointed Colonel-General Alexander Lapin as chief of staff of Russia’s ground forces, despite having been ousted as commander of the Russian Armed Forces' Central Military District in October, as Russian troops pursue a massive offensive in Donetsk, reports said Tuesday.

The appointment was met with criticism from Russia hawks as Russian President Vladimir Putin looks to turn the tide in the near-year long war in Ukraine, where it has made little advances since it began losing territory in September.

Lapin first received heavy backlash from top players in Putin’s war, including Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, after he lost the strategically important city of Lyman in October, when Ukrainian troops pushed east into Donetsk after taking Kharkiv in September.

Following the loss of the logistics hub, Kadyrov reportedly said, "If I had my way, I would demote Lapin to a private, deprive him of his awards and, with a machine gun in his hands, send him to the front line to wash away his shame with blood."

[silverleaf]

You guys are so gullible, you have no real idea of what this command restructuring is designed to achieve.

Russian military experts schooled by western propo leaks to media?

Any attempt at real analysis by anyone esp now is abandoned in the haste to write anything..anything..about Russia in a dramatic negative way and pump it out via the press. To schtoops still sucking on slava ukrani hopium. To divert from the Uke disaster unfolding…which was predicted by solid independent analysts whose jobs don’t depend on telling Jake Sullivan what he wants Biden to hear.

Geez.

Just realize that the military plan is changing once Bakhmut falls, and may go a lot wider. Bakhmut is not the beginning of the end, but may be the end of the beginning. Have you guys even considered the battle of next week…next month..,and beyond?

Gerasimov’s position would be the man for expanded command. Esp if strategic assets and extended logistics come into play. Or if Poland does something stupid. Or Belarus. Or NATO.

Surovikin is doing the job on the Eastern front, that he was hired to do. And doing it solidly by appearances. And has more fronts ahead,

[Alas Babylon!]

Any attempt at real analysis by anyone esp now is abandoned in the haste to write anything.

You mean like this screed you're writing?

Since the special operation started, the Russian army has been an abject failure. Totally corrupt and incompetent.

I’m not in favor of Ukraine. They’re wannabees and grifters getting rich off of gullible Westerners. They don't deserve a dime from us. Let the Europeans pay for it. But come on, man, all you Russian supporters, you’ve got to admit, if you’re not lying or stupid, that Russia really f’d up this war. And they've actually rejuvenated a dying NATO. How crazy is that?

I’m mostly upset for the Russian grunts on the ground. They’re treated horribly, underequipped, under led and under fire, and any REAL Russia lovers should be furious about that. Their officers have no strategic or even tactical sense except to send them into direct fire. ENOUGH! Stop.

They have massive supply and logistics problems, outdated and completely undermaintained equipment, had to throw new troops into battle without proper kit and clothing, the list is endless.

I view this whole operation/war as any professional military man would, with an objective eye on what is happening, not press releases and propaganda. Russia’s military is in horrible shape due to graft and corruption and needs a complete reform.

I actually hope they get it.

[silverleaf]

“ screed”

We done.

[Alas Babylon!]

The Free Dictionary: https://www.thefreedictionary.com/screed

screed (skriːd)
n
1. a long or prolonged speech or piece of writing

Don’t take it personal, or do, it doesn’t matter. Your analysis is wrong.

[silverleaf]

Yeah, Abraham Lincoln was a prime example

[Alas Babylon!]

Abraham Lincoln didn’t fire and THEN rehire the same generals, they were basically one and done.

Lincoln had to learn that the objective wasn’t Richmond and the Confederate government, but rather defeating Lee and other Confederate’s army. Grant knew that and that’s why, even when he lost (which happened frequently, like all the other Army of the Potomac commanders), he got right back up and attacked Lee again and again until Lee didn’t have the resources to carry on the fight.

[Cronos]

Brian Griffin "The Russian Federation wants to win a war"

And they are doing so great so far

March 23rd 2022

January 10th 2023

btw, that was sarcasm

[Cronos]

silverleaf on 11th January 2023 "Presumably with the approval or acceptance of the real war commander- Surovikin" to "Moscow has appointed Colonel-General Alexander Lapin as chief of staff of Russia’s ground forces"

Yet earlier on the same day Sergei Surovikin removed as commander of the Russian invasion force

[Cronos]

silverleaf “but shows Putin is in charge of military decisionmaking, not Kadryov or Prigozhin”

Not Kadyrov, nor Prigozhin — for now.

Also note that it isn’t a good idea for a politician who has no military experience to be conducting military decisions during a war. That has been a recipe for disaster for centuries - heck even millenia (think of the 2nd Punic war)

[Cronos]

China doesn’t buy Russian civilian planes.

And they won’t buy them now when the Russian manufacturers have lost access to the Western technology and suppliers they need to make safe and reliable planes (not that Russian civilian jets were paragons of safety or reliability before 2022)

[Cronos]

I think the entire Bakhmut-Soledar area can go either side for now; and then change in a day.

Until and unless one side gets 50km between itself and Bakhmut on either side, there is no way to predict the short-term outcome.

Like the battle for Kherson - it was so iffy until one day it was so clear who had won.

[Cronos]

“Russia’s military is in horrible shape due to graft and corruption and needs a complete reform.”

I really thought they had already done it after 2008. But it looks like it was just Potemkin window dressing.

Now they can’t do that during a war and because of ingrained vested interests.

Putin’s ego and his hubris has led to this - if he had satisfied himself with Salami tactics and just claimed the DPR / LPR region as Russia, then there wouldn’t be what is happening now - the Russian military is getting deconstructed to Iran’s level in front of our eyes.