The first disaster of the Belousov era: a column with a hundred Russian soldiers exterminated in Kursk, the revolt of Russian telegram channels: “Incapable commanders, and conscripts die”

The videos are terrifying: and now the hunt for the commanders guilty of this umpteenth defeat has begun (in the Russian Z telegram channels themselves). It occurred two days ago and cost an unknown number of lives of Russian soldiers (there were around a hundred soldiers in the column, it is impossible at the moment to establish how many died, with such devastation). And now the debate is raging, between ultranationalists and (Russian) military bloggers, always ready to accuse the incompetence of the Russian High Command. Many Russian soldiers killed, literally blown up and massacred, by drones and Ukrainian artillery while they were, in the Kursk region, lined up (as in the traffic of a metropolis), 8 kilometers from the border, that is, in a distance so close to the fire enemy to be under fire very easily even from drones (on the other hand, behind the lines, in Russia, the signal may be blurred and it may be more difficult for the Ukrainians to strike).

The scene is incredibly clear and in an open field: a long column of Russian military vehicles full of men moving towards the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv is being devastated on the move. Textbook stuff – to be studied in academies – of what NOT to do when leading groups of soldiers under potential enemy fire.

The “Two Majors” channel attacks: «Third year of war. Accurate hits at the head and tail of the column, then the enemy hit the squares. The cars in the center managed to disperse as best they could. Notes from a veteran: Just last week I wrote about the movement of military columns five miles from the border. From that moment nothing has changed except that the columns have become longer… And we are in the third year of the war.” As if the Russian commanders had learned nothing.

Gray Zone, the channel closest to the Wagner Group (as it was to Evgheny Prigozhin), attacks with sarcasm after yet another operational defeat which resulted in a massacre of Russian soldiers: «This is simply an example of the common sense of our commanders. As well as those who accepted all this, and even drove the cars so close to each other.…” According to Gray Zone, «new videos of the enemies» (Ukrainian) are about to come out, which will also clarify the direct responsibilities of the commanders: «By the way, we are waiting for another video from the enemy… The sequel will add a lot about the commanders. But this video also talks about the fact that conscripts at the border should receive a decent wage and should become participants of the “Special Military Operation”. Even if according to the Wagnerians there was not only the hand of the Ukrainians in this coup, but probably – they seem to suggest – also of NATO operatives (their thesis is currently unsupported).

Another Russian channel that was among the first to admit the news, “LPR1”, accuses: «If it hasn’t occurred to anyone yet that in the area of ​​possible bombings on our territories it is forbidden: to move in convoys made up of more than 2 cars. Any formations exceeding 5 soldiers. Meetings, reunions, greetings, guarantees, etc. When will the commanders’ heads light up? Or, the “Roman Alekin” channel: «Comrades, in the flight zone of UAVs and artillery we must look for different logistical routes and divide the groups, especially when there are routes, even safe ones, even if the distance is greater».

While all this is happening at the front – and the Himars have begun to strike 50 kilometers inside Russia, destroying Russian air systems that bomb Kharkiv daily, as reconstructed in detail by The print with photos and satellite geolocations – and the Russian military-nationalist world in turmoil, in Moscow the new Defense Minister Andrey Belousov – an economist, with little military experience in the field – showed up at the second meeting of the Security Council of Russia (with Putin) wearing the uniform, but with (civilian) stars. A little ridiculous, objectively. «He could have eliminated this practice», observes Dara Massicot, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Russia and Eurasia Program: «As a reminder, his predecessor Shoigu had given himself the medals of “participant in the Victory Day parade”» . But Belousov was not put there to repeat the (disastrous) exploits of his predecessor, who in fact was eventually removed. As Prigozhin asked, but in the meantime murdered.