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Russian stuff blowing up: Ukraine says it has thwarted Russia's offensive in Sumy [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-06-26
Syrskyi says that Ukraine has blunted Russia’s offensive in the Sumy region.
Russia advanced in the Sumy region to create a “buffer zone” along its border. [image or embed]
Ukrainian troops stopped Russia's offensive in the northern Sumy region, UAF Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi said. This year's Russian summer offensive is failing, he added.
There has been another prisoner exchange.
"I was sustained by the hope that my family and my country were waiting for me at home, on my native soil. I waited a very long time for this return."
The AC/DC soundtrack is a nice touch.
Video of what is reported to be the AFU dropping their FAB-500 UMPKs on the izgoi.
There is apparently a morale problem in the Russian army.
Who could have guessed?
1/ Russia's soldiers face many serious challenges to their morale and psychological condition, according to a Russian commentary. They face a lack of supplies, food, and equipment, poor training, denied leave, "continuing slavery and bondage" and the temptation of desertion. ⬇️ [image or embed]
2/ Svyatoslav Golikov, the author of the 'Philologist in Ambush' Telegram channel, has written a lengthy overview of the issues behind the poor morale and motivation of many Russian soldiers. He imagines it from the perspective of an army unit's political officer.
3/ Golikov highlights six key issues:
1️⃣ A lack of "decent material and technical support, which concerns absolutely all items." These include essentials such as food, clothing and protective equipment, as well as vehicles, electronic warfare systems, fuel and drone detectors.
….
6/ "As long as a soldier is forced to spend half of his salary on potatoes, onions and carrots, milk and meat, drones and incubators, bulletproof vests and normal uniforms, guns and cartridges, generators and gasoline for it, Starlinks, normal radio transmitters and repeaters,…
7/ …he will not perceive the "patriotism" aggressively imposed on him, built on lies, hypocrisy, window dressing and show. Because a soldier is far from an idiot and sees everything."
8/ 2️⃣ "Directly real, relevant, daily combat training of both the officers themselves and their subordinate personnel." As Golikov rightly notes, there are systemic problems with soldiers being sent to the front line with only cursory training, despite official claims otherwise.
….
10/ 3️⃣ "The problems of mass drunkenness and drug addiction continue to exist among the troops ... The drug problem is currently epidemic throughout the line of contact. This applies to both plant forms and chemicals (salt, meth and amphetamines)."
11/ Golikov comments that the prevalence of the problem is not the same everywhere, as it depends on how robustly commanders deal with it. "If a specific unit has interested people, then there will be prohibition and a fight against drugs at all levels."
12/ "But if the officers don't give a damn, or they are afraid to interfere, or they have taken the lead in these processes and set the tone and pace, then it's all over."
13/ 4️⃣ "Regular rotations and vacations." Golikov notes that vacations are often more notional than real. Because so many soldiers desert while on leave in Russia, they are often forced to take their leave within occupied areas of Ukraine rather than being allowed to go home.
….
17/ 5️⃣ "Continuing slavery and bondage in terms of renewal-auto-extension of current contracts, uncertainty with expired contracts, lack of replacement of previously mobilised servicemen." Russian soldiers currently serve under indefinite contracts, which is very unpopular.
18/ 6️⃣ The ongoing problem of desertion on a massive scale. Golikov says that over 60,000 men have been listed as deserters since February 2022, with more than 10,000 of them deserting for a year or more. He rightly says this is a systemic issue.
[END]
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