In this case you can read about: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has created a city of criticism. Criticism of the Russian defense leadership comes from several quarters – even from Putin’s own camp. At the latest on Thursday, Kirill Stremousov, one of the leaders that Russia has realized in the Kherson region of Ukraine, will say in a Telegram video that Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu should take his own life. That’s what The New York Times wrote. Stremousov is an illustrative example of those on the far right who make themselves available to Putin. Kirill Stremousov in his office in Kherson. On the wall hangs a picture of Putin. Photo: STRINGER / AFP – And what is interesting is that much of the criticism of Putin comes from the occupied territories. Here, too, this Stremousov is an example, says Jørn Holm-Hansen, researcher at Oslo Met. – Since 2014, there has been a lot of dissatisfaction among the separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk that Putin has not supported them more and more clearly, so this is a kind of continuation of a longer tradition, he adds. Stremousov is not alone in directing criticism at the military leadership in Russia. There is also growing dissatisfaction within parts of the political elite in Russia with the way the war has been conducted. Andrej Kartapolov has made dramatic statements against the Putin regime. Photo: KIRILL BRAGA / Reuters Andrej Kartapolov, the head of the defense committee in the Duma, the main chamber of the Russian National Assembly, has said that the lies about what is happening in Ukraine must stop. People got to know a lot more in 1941 after Nazi Germany went on the offensive, he says. – The results are quite dramatic. He says that the Putin regime does not live up to the legacy of the Great Patriotic War. In Russia, it’s a tough diet, says Holm-Hansen. The leader in Chechnya, who is one of Putin’s biggest supporters, has criticized Russia’s warfare. Photo: CHINGIS KONDAROV / Reuters In addition, the leader of Chechnya and one of Putin’s biggest supporters, Ramzan Kadyrov, has also criticized Russia’s warfare. The same has Yevgenij Prigozhin, owner of the Vagner group. Yevgeny Prigozhin is a businessman with close ties to the Russian president. He was also called “Putin’s chef” and is behind the Vagner group. Photo: ALEXEY DRUZHININ / AFP Also within the veteran community and among Russian military bloggers, who are supporters of the war, there is now criticism of the Russian warfare. Some of the military bloggers have up to a million followers and operate on the encrypted messaging service Telegram. This means that they can in principle be anonymous, which makes it easier to criticize the handling of the war. The bloggers are or have been connected to the defence. They are people with contacts in the military and have real information about what is happening on the ground. Igor Girkin is a former FSB officer. Now he blogs critically about the war. Photo: Dmitry Lovetsky / AP – There is probably a large element of disappointment, says researcher at Staff School Tobias Sæther. – The big picture is that the war is not going well for the Russians. Many of the critics realize this, not least the military bloggers, he adds. In other words, Putin and his inner circle are under great pressure. Putin has tried to get the critics to face the partial mobilization and forced annexation of the four Ukrainian areas, but this has not been successful either. – The mobilization decision has had negative consequences for support for the war in the Russian population, says chief researcher at the Norwegian Defense Research Institute, Kristian Åtland. The large crowds that have left Russia after the decision also have their say. Åtland says that government censorship is still intense and that public demonstrations against the war are still being severely cracked down on. – But there are many indications that the regime is about to lose its grip on the public debate, he adds. Tom Røseth, head teacher in intelligence at the Staff School, says that Moscow is struggling with who to set the boundaries as these are critics who support the regime, but who at the same time push the boundaries of what the Kremlin thinks is okay. – For example, when Defense Minister Sergej Sjojgu, who is a close friend of Putin, is criticized, says Røseth. Defense Minister Sergej Sjojgu has been criticized from several quarters. The Institute for the Study of War believes he can even be used as a scapegoat for the defeat in Ukraine. Photo: AP Just a few days ago, Aleksej Slobodenjuk, who is a spokesman for the Vagner group, was arrested. Slobodenjuk has been strongly critical of the Minister of Defence. The video of the arrest has been circulating on social media. Røseth believes that this may be a sign that there is disagreement at the highest levels in Putin’s regime or that they now want to crack down on the critical bloggers. Researcher Holm-Hansen says at the same time that it is worth noting that the criticism that is expressed is only directed at the military leadership, and not Putin himself. – If the criticism starts to be directed at the president, we are in a completely new stage. Then a lot can happen, and quickly, says Holm-Hansen. At the same time that the defense leadership in Russia is experiencing criticism from its own camp, more and more names are being added to the list of “foreign agents”. This is a term that Russian authorities use to crack down on critics of the Putin regime. Being a critic of the Putin regime is very difficult, says Iver Neumann, director of the Fridtjof Nansen Institute. – If you are branded as a foreign agent, it has effects right down to the everyday level. The chance of ending up in the cage is high, he says. – One has not been able to criticize the system itself, and under no circumstances the presidency itself, says Holm-Hansen. One of Russia’s most popular rap artists, Oxxxymiron, has been given the status of “foreign agent”. Photo: Pavel Golovkin / AP That there is now open criticism of something as sensitive as the defense in the middle of a war is new. But at the same time this comes from the far right, from what you can call the war party or the hawks. They are the ones who want to go harder in the war. – These people get away in prime time on television, while those who want an end to the war will be arrested if they go out on the streets with a poster, says Holm-Hansen. On Friday, Memorial was one of three to receive a peace prize. The researchers believe that those who are critical of the Putin regime and the war are happy that the organization received the prize, but that it is difficult to say how the award ceremony will turn out. – The problem is that those who are already west-facing will see this as support, but that the others will only see this as yet another example of what Putin calls the collective West using all means to blacken Russia, says Neumann. Experts that news has been in contact with in connection with the case: Jørn Holm-Hansen: Researcher at OsloMet Tobias Sæther: Researcher at Staff School Kristian Åtland: Chief Researcher at the Defense Research Institute Tom Røseth: Head teacher in intelligence at Staff School Iver Neumann: Director at Fridtjof Nansen’s Institute
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Dissatisfaction with Putin’s military leadership from several quarters – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
