Recently, Russian forces have faced defeat in the important center of Kharkiv province in eastern Ukraine. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, a Putin ally, strongly criticized the performance of Russian troops after such a disaster. Al-Jazeera news.
In an 11-minute voice message posted on the Telegram messaging app on Saturday, he said the campaign was not going as planned.
Kadyrov, the Kremlin-appointed leader of Chechnya, said: ‘If there are no changes to the plan to conduct special military operations today or tomorrow, I will be forced to go to the country’s leadership to explain the situation to them. I am not a strategist like the Ministry of Defence. But it is clear that mistakes have been made. I think they will draw a few conclusions.’
All settlements will return to Russian control, Novaya Gazeta Europe quoted him as saying.
Ramadan added, ‘We have people there, fighters specially prepared for this kind of situation. Another 10,000 fighters are ready to join them. In the near future we will reach Odessa.’
He made the criticism after the Russian military leadership lost Ukraine’s fight against an invasion of northeastern Ukraine.
Russian nationalists on Sunday angrily called on Putin to immediately change plans to ensure a final victory in the Ukraine war. The day before that, Moscow was forced to abandon its main base in northeastern Ukraine.
The rapid fall at Izium was Russia’s worst military defeat since the withdrawal of troops from the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, in March.
Moscow has remained almost entirely silent on the defeat. Moscow has not even offered an explanation for what happened in northeastern Ukraine. Such a role by Moscow has sparked significant outrage among some pro-war commentators and Russian nationalists on social media.
Russia’s Defense Ministry posted video footage on Friday saying troops were sent to the Kharkiv region upon receiving news of the defeat.
Russian forces attacked Ukrainian positions in the region with aircraft carriers, missiles and artillery, the Defense Ministry said on Sunday.
On the ground, Al-Jazeera reports from Kiev that many pro-Russian Telegram channels are calling it a defeat. A high-profile military analyst said their troops were in an operational crisis and that the Ukrainians had taken the opportunity to seize the war.
Neither Putin, the supreme commander-in-chief of Russia’s armed forces, nor Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had publicly commented on the defeat as of midday Sunday.
“We are proud of Moscow,” Putin told Muscovites. Love this city for its glorious history, tradition, antiquity, modernity and dynamic life. It has charming parks, lanes and streets, and an abundance of business and cultural events.
The Defense Ministry did not respond to reporters’ requests for comment.
Some pro-Kremlin war correspondents, former and current servicemen who regularly follow the Telegram channel, blamed the ministry for the debacle.
(September 12)
