Russia's restructuring of military command depicts 'systemic challenges', says Pentagon

Russia's recent reshuffling of  military ranks in middle of ongoing conflict in Ukraine is a reflection of "systemic challenges" faced by Russia's President Vlimir Putin's army, Pentagon claimed on Thursday, Jan. 12. appointment of Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov as he of Russian military goes to show many challenges and shortcomings that have plagued Moscow's armed forces, US Brigier General Pat Ryder, Pentagon's press secretary said during his White House press briefing. 

Russia replaced General Sergey Surovikin just three months into his role, restructuring military abruptly citing "expanded scale of tasks." Surovikin will now serve as deputy to Gerasimov, Russian Defense Ministry announced in a statement, ding that reshuffle of military was executed due to  “closer interaction between branches of Armed Forces.”  Pentagon spokesperson on Thursday speculated that  change of  military's hierarchy by Moscow and removal of armed forces top brass demonstrates existing problems within Russian Defense ministry. 

Chief of General Staff of Russia's Armed Forces, Surovikin, is a longtime Putin loyalist and h participated in planning of invasion of Ukraine. 

Logistics, command and control problems

US think-tank, Institute for Study of War (ISW), in its analysis noted that his appointment "serves dual goal of signaling a likely resumption of offensive operations in 2023 and being result of an internal power struggle to reassert Defense Ministry’s 'primacy.'"

"It likely does reflect some of systemic challenges that Russian military has faced since beginning of this invasion," Brigier General Pat Ryder said at a news briefing.

"We've talked about some of those things, in terms of logistics problems, command and control problems, sustainment problems, morale and large failure to achieve strategic objectives that y've set for mselves," he ded. 

Ryder also noted that US is "absolutely supportive" of Ukraine's defense capabilities, ding that allies and partners will provide military equipment needed to deter Russian aggression. Washington has recently approved supplying Ukraine with Brley Fighting Vehicles, a move widely berated by Russia that warned US and its allies might become a direct party in conflict. "We certainly are supportive of any of capability that will give Ukrainians an vantage on battlefield," Ryder meanwhile clarified. 

Has Russia replaced commander 'with an incompetent one'?

Russia has “demoted its most competent senior commander and replaced him with an incompetent one," Rand Corporation senior researcher Dara Massicot claimed in a tweet. “This is a story that has it all: infighting, power struggles, jealousy,” Massicot maintained. Military experts have, in turn, speculated that appointment of Gerasimov shows Russian showy mercenary group Wagner’s “increasingly influential and public role in war.” His appointment comes amid a series of new large-scale position changes me in Russia's military command as country prepares to intensify its “special military operation” in Ukraine in 2023.

Russia's MoD, in a statement, said that Gerasimov will work with deputies namely Gen. Sergey Surovikin, commander-in-chief of Aerospace Forces; Gen. Oleg Salyukov, commander-in-chief of Ground Forces; and Col. Gen. Alexei Kim, deputy chief of general staff of Russian armed forces. Speculations arose that Russian MoD has appointed Col. Gen. Alexander Lapin as chief of Army's ground forces in yet anor major restructuring, although Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not publicly mit or deny changes to military position at a state press briefing. 

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, left, and Chief of Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov attend meeting with Russian President Vlimir Putin during his visit to joint staff of troops involved in Russia's military operation in Ukraine. Credit: AP

In a separate war intelligence, UK's Ministry of Defence said that Gerasimov's appointment was "a significant development in Russian President Vlimir Putin's approach to managing war." " deployment of [chief of general staff] as atre commander is an indicator of increasing seriousness of situation Russia is facing, and a clear acknowledgment that campaign is falling short of Russia's strategic goals," re UK's intelligence update.

Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, meanwhile, handed new military deputies a list of improvements expected that included enhancement in forces' command, communication, and training as y intensified offensive in Ukraine's eastern flank. 

" increase in level of leership of special military operation is connected with expansion in scale of tasks,  need to organize closer contact between different branches of armed forces and improve quality, and effectiveness of management of Russian forces," Russian ministry wrote in a statement it released on Thursday.