Igor Zaytsev's blog

UA side distributed a footage of failed Russian assault on Ugledar. Strelkov comments on the attempt, detailing the total incompetency of the commanders who developed the operation. As usual we don’t hear names of those commanders, but we know that the top commander in charge of all Russian Army engaged in the war is none other than the top Russian strategist, general Gerasimov.

The troops approached in very tight formation using only narrow dirt roads. Ukraine drones operated freely above the Russian force, providing targeting for artillery (and possibly anti-tank missiles). No electronic countermeasures, air-defence or smoke screens were used. All this in direct contradiction with Russian military doctrine. Large number of tanks was destroyed before having a chance to engage the enemy. Strelkov reports ~30 units of armored vehicles, tens of KIA among tank crews only. More KIA among marines, special forces and motor rifle troops. Reportedly not a single casualty among enemy defenders.

As if after a year of fighting Russian MoD continues to try and lose this war against all odds. The same exact people that crippled the Russian Army are still in charge, continuing failing the same way again and again. While in the rear some government-connected newly created companies get secret MoD’s contracts to provide “new and improved” uniforms. Those are secret contracts according to the MoD itself, which refuses to provide any information on contracts volume and value on this ground.

Failure in war brings extreme political changes in Russia. It happened after the incompetently managed war with Japan, it happened after the incompetently managed WWI, it happened after the incompetently managed war in Afghanistan, and it seems like it will happen again. The time is running out, and Rasputin’s government demonstrated it isn’t ready to change its ways even in time of national crisis.

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Russian Kommersant reports the largest national microchip designer MTsST, the creator of Elbrus family of CPUs, will be absorbed by the Rosatom state corporation. While Rosatom seems to do quite well in developing and constructing nuclear power plants in Russia and abroad, lately it has been tasked with managing the Russian nuclear icebreaker fleet, raising the composite materials industry and now the microelectronics (among other things, I’m sure). The stated reason is the financial problems MTsST is having as a result of Western sanctions on Russian economy and industry.

The nationalization trend continues, after the post-Soviet privatization largely destroyed the Russian industry. But, unlike in the Soviet times, there is almost no real competition or accountability for failures of those nation-wide corporations. Russian Kleptocracy trying to morph into technocracy, built on nepotism, corruption and judiciary system subjugated by corrupt elites.