Russland vs. Ukraine

[Quintus Fabius]

Allgemein:

Über Missstände in der ukrainischen Armee die man nicht so auf dem Schirm hat:

https://militaryland.net/news/combat-pro...disbanded/

The First Tank Battalion of the 3rd Heavy Mechanized Brigade has been disbanded. According to Serhiy Ponomarenko, a former serviceman of the brigade and Hero of Ukraine, this unit was the brigade’s most capable, with many of its crews serving continuously since 2022.

According to the veteran, in an interview with Espreso.tv, after the appointment of a new brigade commander, he brought in a close associate as his deputy—an officer who has committed physical abuse. “In my view, it’s horrifying,” Ponomarenko said. “No officer should be allowed to beat personnel and boast about it. He has video recordings on his personal phone showing soldiers being thrown into pits, locked in cages, and proudly talks about having a whip for beatings. To me, that’s something beyond reality in our current situation.”

“A commander should lead by example. But here, he hides in a bunker, afraid to come out, and makes decisions under the influence of a man who beats soldiers. This isn’t an army — it’s a farce,” he said with frustration in an interview. Ponomarenko called on the country’s leadership to step in. He believes that if no action is taken, many soldiers will start leaving the unit voluntarily, because “no one will go into battle under commanders like these.”

“Fifty percent of the personnel in the 1st Tank Battalion have been serving since early 2022. These are the soldiers who have stood by me through nearly the entire war, from the very first days of the full-scale invasion until now. Well-coordinated crews and a battle-hardened, tightly knit team are about to be broken up to reinforce battalions that are better at showing off. I don’t know—maybe they bring gifts or something—but a much less prepared and equipped battalion remains, while a highly trained and well-organized battalion is being dismantled,” Ponomarenko stressed.

He later confirmed on social media that the battalion had been disbanded, and no investigation has been launched by officials into the matter.

https://militaryland.net/news/loyalty-ov...kyis-army/

Since General Sirskyi assumed leadership of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2023, a noticeable shift has occurred in how resources and recognition are distributed within the army. Loyalty — not just performance — has become a determining factor.

......this favoritism has bred resentment elsewhere in the military. Units that raise concerns, question orders — especially when doing so to preserve the lives of their soldiers — are often met with punitive measures. In many cases, this begins with an internal audit of the brigade and ends with the dismissal of its commander.

Notably, only a few units are immune from this dynamic — namely the 3rd Assault Brigade and the National Guard’s Azov Brigade. Their popularity and combat record make them too politically and publicly influential to be subjected to such retribution.

The expansion of select assault regiments into brigades marks the emergence of a new Ukrainian Army — one increasingly shaped by loyalty and political favor. But this transformation comes at the expense of veteran units that have been holding the line since the early days of the full-scale invasion in 2022.

Many of Ukraine’s mechanized brigades, especially those formed before invasion, are now severely depleted. Some operate at just 30% of their intended manpower, such as 30th Mechanized Brigade and 72nd Mechanized Brigade. They rely heavily on pre-war stockpiles, captured enemy vehicles, and civilian donations to stay operational.

They are frequent targets of internal commissions, and their commanders are regularly dismissed under the pretext of poor performance — despite the impossible conditions they face.