President Vladimir Putin stated Wednesday that Russia’s army should learn from Ukraine and rectify its mistakes. He promised to provide all the assistance the military needed in order to win a conflict nearing its 10th month.
Putin spoke to the defense chiefs of Moscow and stated that there are no financial limitations on how much equipment or hardware will be provided by government.
We have no restrictions on funding. He said that both the country and government provide everything the army needs.
Putin admitted, and not only, that the September call-up for 300,000 reserveists had not been smooth.
He stated that “the partial mobilization that was done revealed some problems, as everybody well knows. These should be immediately addressed.”
Even from Kremlin allies it was criticized strongly for the call-up, since military commissariats enlisted many men who weren’t physically fit or too old and that new recruits didn’t have basic equipment like sleeping bags or winter clothes.
Putin also spoke out about unspecified military problems and suggested constructive criticism.
He said, “I request the Ministry of Defence be attentive to civilian initiatives, including criticism, and respond correctly, in a timely fashion.”
It is evident that people react to problems (and there always are problems with such complex, major work) can be emotionally charged. However, we must listen to those who don’t hide the problems but seek to solve them.
This was just the latest of a number recent remarks in which Putin acknowledged, though obliquely the difficulties his army faces.
He told security personnel on Tuesday that Russia had claimed four areas of Ukraine as their own, something Kyiv rejected.
He also stated that Russia might be supporting Ukraine’s war effort for quite some time on December 7.
Russia has occupied a large part of the eastern and southern Ukraine nearly 10 months after its February 24 invasion. However, it has been subject to a string of losses that have helped shift war momentum towards its small adversary.
Pro-Kremlin bloggers even expressed dismay at Russia’s performance, chaotic conduct during mobilisation, and the ceding territory Russia had taken – especially last month, when Russia pulled out Kherson, its only provincial capital since the invasion began.
Sergei Shoigu, Defence Minister, read out to Putin a report in which Russia’s forces actively destroyed Ukraine’s military capabilities and charged the West with trying to “drag out the conflict.”
Shoigu suggested raising the mandatory Russian military service age to 21-30 years, as opposed to the current 18-27. According to Shoigu, Russia is accelerating modern weapon deployments.
Russia’s last public disclosure of its losses was Sept. 21. It stated that 5,937 soldiers were killed. This number is significantly lower than most international estimates. On Nov. 9, the United States’ highest general stated that over 100,000 soldiers were killed or injured on either side.
Putin said that he had no regrets in launching his “special military operations”, and that Russia was forced to confront arrogant Western power.
He stated Wednesday that he considered Ukrainians, who were killed by their thousands and forced to flee their cities in millions, to still be “brotherly”.
Putin stated, “What’s happening is of course, a tragedy. It is our common tragedy. But it isn’t a result our policy.”
It’s not the fault of Russia, it’s the result the foreign policy, the third country, which has always aimed for the destabilization of the Russian world. They succeeded to a certain degree and have pushed us towards the point where we are today.
