Russian Military Leadership Confronts Protests Over Ukrainian Strike on Kursk

Several prominent Russian military bloggers have criticized the country's army leadership for their failure to prevent a significant Ukrainian cross-border raid, according to the Kyiv Post.

Ukrainian forces, including tanks and armored vehicles, entered Russia's southwestern Kursk region, prompting Moscow to swiftly deploy reserves, drones, aviation, and artillery in response.

This was one of the most serious border incursions by pro-Kyiv fighters and led to widespread criticism of Russia's military leadership for not learning from past attacks.

"The enemy had been building up forces for two months," stated the influential Rybar channel, which is connected to Russian troops.

"During those two months, all the necessary information was relayed to the ineffective headquarters. There was ample time to make a proper decision," it continued.

The attacks, which were still ongoing as of Wednesday evening, represent one of the first major challenges for Russia's new defense minister, Andrei Belousov.

In May, he replaced Sergei Shoigu, who was held responsible for a series of Russian military failures since the Ukraine offensive began in 2022. Several other defense ministry officials have also been dismissed or arrested on corruption charges.

However, the Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, who oversees army operations in Ukraine and is disliked by many military bloggers, remains in his position.

In response to the Kursk incursion, Rybar and other bloggers criticized the decision not to overhaul the combat management system.

Russian military leaders "continue to make mistakes and deceive," wrote another prominent blogger, Anastasia Kashevarova.

"Every day they make errors that cost our soldiers their lives," she posted on Telegram.

The WarGonzo channel, managed by Semyon Pegov, expressed approval that Gerasimov was shown on state television meeting with President Vladimir Putin, as it means he will be "directly accountable" for correcting these "mistakes."

"We have long lacked public accountability," he said.

Criticism from military bloggers was once frequent but has become less common recently due to the Kremlin's crackdown on public dissent.

These bloggers gained prominence in the early months of the Ukraine offensive by sharply criticizing Moscow's military leadership, accusing them of incompetence and corruption.