Vladimir Putin allowed the Russian Ministry of Defense to regain control over all Russian troops in Ukraine.
Source: Institute for the Study of War
Literally: “Putin allowed the Russian Ministry of Defense to regain control over all Russian forces in Ukraine after the bulk of the 300,000 mobilized reservists arrived in Ukraine.”
Details: ISW analysts have listed a number of developments that, in their opinion, indicate that Putin is trying to concentrate all Russian forces under the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense:
- Putin appointed Gerasimov to command the grouping of Russian troops in Ukraine, subordinating Surovikin to him.
- The Defense Ministry has begun actively integrating the “DPR” and “LPR” 1st and 2nd Army Corps into the Russian armed forces and is reportedly removing puppet commanders, drawing backlash from the ultra-nationalist community.
- The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is also trying to limit the PMC “Wagner” in receiving ammunition and has blocked the recruitment of prisoners by “Wagner”, preferring its own recruitment activities.
- Gerasimov relieved Wagner of responsibility for Bakhmut, began bringing Russian regular reinforcements into the area, and ordered official Russian channels to use a euphemism for Wagner’s forces without using the company’s name.
- The Russian Defense Ministry is considering ideas to limit the activities of bloggers at the front and introduces new rules for operational security and discipline. These controversial measures are part of the ministry’s rush to deal with the fallout from Putin’s refusal to force mobilization in May 2022.
“Putin’s apparent efforts to prepare the Russian people for a long and painful war show that he has realized that only the Russian Ministry of Defense can realistically hold the large mechanized forces he needs to achieve his ambitions in Ukraine,” the ISW summarized.
Recall: The representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense Andrey Yusov said that the Russian dictator ordered the newly appointed commander of the occupation forces in Ukraine, Valery Gerasimov, to seize the Donbass by March.
