According to a US media report, Russian President Vladimir Putin is increasingly influencing the tactical planning of his country’s troops fighting in the Ukraine war. The New York Times (NYT) reports, citing US intelligence information, that the Kremlin chief insists on having the authority to command the Russian military in the Cherson region of Ukraine in particular.
Accordingly, Putin rejected, among other things, the plans of the troop commanders in the city of Cherson, according to which the units stationed there should withdraw in an orderly manner in view of the ongoing Ukrainian counter-offensive.
Instead, according to insiders, the head of state is said to have ordered the defense of the strategically important city, contrary to the advice of his top military officers.
Misunderstanding about Putin among the commanders
As the NYT further reports, such orders should not only weaken the morale of the Russian troops, but also lead to displeasure and a lack of understanding among the commanders. In addition, the commanders disagree about the exact strategic approach under the specifications from the Kremlin.
At the same time, the report points out that the differences of opinion between Putin and his Kherson commanders made clear the great strategic importance and symbolic power of the fighting in southern Ukraine.
It is also said that a withdrawal of Russian forces from Kherson would adversely affect the so-called referendum on union with Russia from the Kremlin’s point of view – and ultimately mean a great success for Ukraine. Voting in the southern Ukrainian region is scheduled to run until Tuesday.
Sham referendums in Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhia
So-called referendums started on Friday in the four Russian-occupied regions of Cherson, Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhia. The population should vote on joining Russia.
When the votes were announced, the media and international observers had already doubted that they would take place without being influenced. Videos can now be seen on social media of people being tricked into voting by election workers accompanied by armed men. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the world “unequivocally condemned these pseudo-referendums”.
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Source: Tagesspiegel
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