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There are about 1,300 generals in the Russian army. After the failures at the front and the failure of the rebellion of the leader of the PMC “Wagner” Yevgeny Prigozhin, purges are going on in the command staff of the highest level. Mykola Malomuzh, General of the Army of Ukraine, ex-head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, spoke about this on the air of the FREEDOM TV channel.
He noted that the generals miscalculated by getting involved in Putin’s war against Ukraine.
“The generals thought that this“ special operation ”would last for several weeks, after which they would receive new prospects – both in service, and in ranks, and in awards. But it turned out to be a complete failure. This is a blow to Putin’s prestige, a blow to the military,” Malomuzh said.
Now there is friction between the military as to who exactly is responsible for the loss.
“Of course, everyone understands that Putin. But they are trying to blame Minister of Defense Shoigu, the head of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces Gerasimov, General Surovikin, before that they blamed General Lapin. Some do not forget about the undermining of the authority of the army by Prigogine. That is, an internecine squabble began, ”the expert continued.
Malomuzh stressed that this showed that it was the military bloc that no longer had faith in its prospects, in the goals of the war.
“The goals of the “special operation” have not been fulfilled. Having captured most of Bakhmut, and now they are practically losing it. And in other areas, Ukrainian defenders deliver counterattacks or planned strikes, or hold the defense powerfully. This is especially seen by the soldiers and combat commanders of the Russian Army, this is no longer a theory, this is a reality – people are dying, all their systems are being destroyed. And, of course, there are no prospects. Therefore, the occupiers often leave the battlefield,” he explained.
The same sentiments are noted among Russian “military experts”, which led to their detentions and arrests – as a military blogger, the former “DPR Defense Minister” Igor Girkin (Strelkov), who criticized both the military leadership of the Russian Federation and Putin.
“The military bloc is no longer just discredited, but it is starting to break down. And some of the generals are trying to counteract this and declare their position, somewhere to put pressure on Putin regarding the inability of the Defense Ministry chief of the General Staff, individual commanders. Among these generals are [commander of the 58th Combined Arms Army of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces] Ivan Popov, [commander of the 106th Guards Airborne Division] Vladimir Seliverstov. They have already been removed from their positions. Literally a week ago, the commander of a tank division made a speech – he was also removed. Before that, there was Deputy Defense Minister Mikhail Mizintsev. For a month and a half, 8 generals were removed – this is the highest link, ”Malomuzh listed.
The generals not only do not see the prospects for war, they understand that the defeat of Russia is inevitable. And they will have to answer for the crime of aggression in the same way as Putin.
According to Malomuzh, now Putin still holds control over the security bloc, and is now beginning to strengthen the influence of the FSB in the troops, as well as in power structures throughout the country.
“He is trying to stabilize the situation with the traditional method of carrot and stick. On the one hand, suspensions, detentions, arrests. On the other hand, incentives, as was the case with the “Wagnerites” after their rebellion, were sent to certain sectors of the front, or contracts were concluded with them, or sent to Belarus. That is, they were separated, but without the use of repression. In the same way, now commanders are being replaced in other military units, ”said the military expert.
“Preventive work” is also being actively carried out among the generals – some are removed so that they do not influence the situation, and those who are more loyal are promoted.
Malomuzh is sure that Russian generals can stage a military coup. But this will be during the period of active defeat of the Russian army at the front.
“When Ukraine begins systemic successes on the battlefield — strategic offensive operations in the east and south — then the generals will rise. Including the current conspirators, who are now keeping quiet. They do not yet begin to criticize, do not express disobedience. They understand the Russian military system – everything is rigidly adjusted there: not only removal, arrests, but also elimination, ”he concluded.
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Recall that in the course of purges in the military bloc in the Russian Federation, almost 30 high-ranking commanders have recently been detained or fired.
