Russia’s Tumultuous 2023: British Intel Spotlights Command vs. Capability Gaps in Avdiivka.
British defense intelligence has spotlighted possibly one of Russia’s heaviest tolls near Avdiivka in 2023. As reported by Ukrainska Pravda, the mismatch between Russia’s boasted military strength and the reality on the ground is becoming evident. Even with eight brigades deployed, the country’s actual combat capabilities seem to diverge from the Russian command’s projections. Pravda cites intelligence sources noting these losses could rank among the year’s most significant.
Russian Bloggers Raise Red Flags Over Military Strategy
Adding to the scrutiny, Russian military bloggers have lambasted the command’s strategies. These insiders argue that while the Kremlin’s political echelons are hungry for more territorial conquests, the armed forces are struggling to execute effective on-ground offensives. This internal critique echoes a White House statement referenced by the Ukrainian paper, suggesting that Russian military brass has even resorted to threatening soldiers with execution for disobedience or retreating from Ukrainian artillery fire.
Concluding the narrative, Pravda cites Estonian forces who believe that Russia, amidst the turmoil, is adamant on maintaining at least a façade of wartime triumph for its domestic audience.
Image: Dpsu.gov.ua, Bakhmut during the battle (2023-04-05), frame 15989, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (image size modified).