According to a Ukrainian soldier, corruption in the Russian army is Ukraine’s “greatest ally” in the battle.
As Vladimir Putin’s forces struggle to make gains in Ukraine’s east, a Ukrainian soldier has stated that the “nature” of the Russian army is assisting his country’s war effort and ensuring the Russian leader is oblivious of the challenges his men face. According to the soldier, Dima, “corruption” inside Kremlin forces meant Putin had little grasp of the reality on the ground.
Speaking in an interview with author and journalist David Patrikarakos, Dima said: “Our greatest ally in this war is Russian corruption and the nature of its army.
“The soldier in the field briefs his officer: ‘it’s not good but we’re holding’; next guy reports up: ‘we’re holding’; the next guy: ‘it’s going well! This is why Putin doesn’t know how bad things are.”
Dima, who has been fighting in Ukraine since early March, also stated that the Russian army is still far outnumbering Ukrainian forces on the battlefield.
Dima said: “I didn’t believe the war would happen because an invasion needs at least 2-1 numerical superiority. I looked on the borders at the army there & it was clear they didn’t have it. This is crazy.
He added: “Sometimes you play poker with a bad hand. Russia is playing without any cards at all.”
THREAD: I’ve arrived in Dnipro to begin covering the battle for eastern #Ukraine. Dima has been fighting since early March.
“It’s like WWII but with modern technology. 2014 was a playground compared to this.”
* I have permission to tweet his photo & all comments. pic.twitter.com/dy5s5D2zB0
— David Patrikarakos (@dpatrikarakos) April 27, 2022
Putin’s troops are reported to be failing to make significant gains in Ukraine as Russia intensifies its attacks in the country’s east.
Since the Russian leader launched his invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Moscow’s forces have been hampered by logistical issues, with reports of broken equipment and difficulty with supplies such as food, fuel, and ammunition earlier in the operation.
Russian forces are also thought to be suffering from low morale, owing in part to some troops reportedly being deployed to battle with Ukraine despite being assured they were only participating in a military practice.
