Russias commonly read pro-war bloggers offered combined reactions to the promo of Colonel-General Alexander Lapin, a senior military officer who was widely blamed for Russias battlefield retreats in the second half of 2022.
Russian media reported Tuesday that Lapin, 59, was called chief of the General Staff of the Ground Forces, an appointment neither verified nor denied by the Kremlin.
Lapin formerly led Russias Central Military District from 2017 up until late October 2022, when he was supposedly eliminated from his post after facing intense criticism for Russian withdrawals in the face of a Ukrainian counteroffensive.Heres how pro-war bloggers reacted to the news:-- Igor Girkin, aka Igor Strelkov, former Russian intelligence officer who led pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in 2014: Lapins promotion is, to put it slightly, an error.
The issue isnt his commanding qualities (if they exist at all), however that it was under his command that our soldiers suffered a heavy defeat in Balakleya and Izium, having actually left almost 10 cities and regrouped from the Kharkiv region as a result.
Promoting this is a savage demonstration of the Russian Defense Ministry managements own invincibility.
-- Mikhail Zvinchuk of the Rybar Telegram channel: Lapins resignation under public pressure was not only declined, however the Supreme [leader Putin] himself firmly insisted that Lapin remain due to the fact that people follow him.
They couldnt make a lightning rod out of the ex-commander of the Central Military District.
Perhaps his consultation to the Ground Forces will change something.
-- Vladlen Tatarsky, popular war blog writer: I think a structure like command of the Ground Forces is an absolutely ineffective institution.
The General Staff of the Ground Forces and the General Staff will just replicate each others functions.
Its great that Lapin is back from his sick leave, its just an embarassment hes returning to an ineffective post.
He belongs on the front line.
-- Roman Alekhin, volunteer: This visit reveals that the hate and buzz [toward Lapin] did not affect the presidents construction of a balanced power structure, though it may have sped up a variety of reforms and replacements.
As with many modern generals, there were and are problems about Lapin because he, like everybody else, was preparing for [war] utilizing old rules and standards.
Unlike numerous, Lapin has been called a trench general, suggesting that he was often in the trenches, that is, trying to absorb and deal with gaps in his understanding of the brand-new war.
Hopefully this experience will now help him command all the ground soldiers.