Russia’s military leadership ‘increasingly dysfunctional’ with 4 out of 5 invasion key generals dismissed

Four out of five of Vladimir Putin’s generals with “direct operational command of elements of his February 2022 invasion” of Ukraine have been dismissed, British defence chiefs said on Wednesday.

They also claimed that “major elements of Russia’s military leadership are increasingly dysfunctional” as his war fails to achieve its key objectives.

Amid poor morale in his military, the UK defence chiefs also suggested that a Russian soldier shot 11 colleagues after an officer’s “abusive comments towards ethnic minority recruits”.

In its latest intelligence update, the Ministry of Defence in London said: “Eight months into the invasion, major elements of Russia’s military leadership are increasingly dysfunctional.

“At the tactical level, there is almost certainly a worsening shortage of capable Russian junior officers to organise and lead newly mobilised reservists.

“Eyewitness testimony suggests that the shooting of 11 Russian soldiers near Belgorod by a fellow recruit on 15 October 2022 occurred after an officer’s abusive comments towards ethnic minority recruits.”

It added: “Poor lower-level leadership is likely worsening the low morale and poor unit cohesion in many parts of the Russian force.

“Four of the five generals with direct operational command of elements of the invasion in February 2022 have now been dismissed. Their replacements have so far done little to improve Russia’s battlefield performance.

“The lack of command continuity will likely be more disruptive than in a Western military because under Russian doctrine the development of plans sits largely with the commander personally, rather than as a collective effort across a broader staff.”

Britain, the US, Ukraine and its allies are fighting an information war against Russia so their briefings need to be treated with caution and are often one-sided.

But they are far more believable than the propaganda issued by the Kremlin, including denials of military targeting of civilian areas and of war crimes having been committed by Russian troops.