Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Russia’s efforts to win the war not only clash with the resistance of Ukraine and its allies, but also with challenges within its own army.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is struggling to control the growing conflict between his lieutenants and key allies.
Vlad Mykhnenko, an expert on the post-communist transformation of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union at Oxford University, told Newsweek that the growing criticism leveled by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and the founder of the Wagner Group mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin of the Ministry of Defense, stressed that Russia “has quickly become a failed state”.
Both continued to criticize the way Putin’s war against Ukraine was handled. This suggests that a rift could emerge within the Kremlin.
More recently, Kadyrov sided with Prigozhin in harshly criticizing General Alexander Lapin, commander of the largest Russian military district, saying on Telegram that “urgent tactical and personnel changes are needed”.
A few days later, pro-Kremlin news agencies reported that Lapin had been fired from the post of commander of the Central Military District of the Russian Armed Forces. The news has not been officially confirmed by the Russian Defense Ministry and the details are still listed on the government website.
It was just one of many examples of Putin’s main ally dissent as Russia continues to face military setbacks in Ukraine.
Mykhnenko said that the couple’s “publicly staging a real hate campaign” against the Russian Defense Ministry showed that the warlords were demanding greater rewards for their loyalty to the Kremlin and perceived military effectiveness and ability “to get things done” on the front lines. .
“Kadyrov and Prigozhin say they are much better at rallying troops, fighting and warfare than the Russian defense ministry and general staff,” Mykhnenko said. News weekWednesday (2/11/2022).
“Undoubtedly, in private, they complained to Putin that he should have put the ‘true patriots’ in command or at least closer to regulating war funding and cash flows, rather than ‘useless’ and ‘corrupt’ generals,” he said.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted in a report Monday that Prigozhin has continued his efforts to improve his status among the Russian elite.
The agency said Prigozhin worked to establish itself as a political force, using its popular status and affiliation with the Wagner group to criticize its opponents among the elite and to institutionalize its own authority.
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