Russia's thwarted Ukraine river crossing was so bloody, pro-Russia war bloggers are publicly griping

[Eugene]

Related: Growing evidence of a military disaster on the Donets pierces a pro-Russian bubble. (New York Times)

Earlier DU thread: Russia Lost A Third Of Its Forces In Ukraine. Now It's Losing The War.

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Source: The Week

Russia's thwarted Ukraine river crossing was so bloody, pro-Russia war bloggers are publicly griping

3:41 AM PETER WEBER

Russia's thwarted attempt to cross the Siverskyi Donets River in northeastern Ukraine last week "is emerging as among the deadliest engagements of the war, with estimates based on publicly available evidence now suggesting that well over 400 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded," The New York Times reports. "And as the scale of what happened comes into sharper focus, the disaster appears to be breaking through the Kremlin's tightly controlled information bubble."

Russia reportedly committed about 550 troops to its highly risky May 11 effort to cross the Donets River at Bilohorivka, to encircle Ukrainian forces near Rubizhne. Ukraine destroyed the pontoon bridges and also, according to Britain's Ministry of Defense, "significant armored maneuver elements of at least one Battalion Tactical Group."

Most strikingly, pro-Russia war bloggers are publicly criticizing Russia's military effort, the Times reports. "The last straw that overwhelmed my patience was the events around Bilohorivka, where due to stupidity — I emphasize, because of the stupidity of the Russian command — at least one battalion tactical group was burned, possibly two," war blogger Yuri Podolyaka told his 2.1 million followers. Another popular blogger, who goes by Starshe Eddy, blamed the exposure of so many Russian troops on "not idiocy, but direct sabotage," by commanders.

"The commentary by these widely read milbloggers may fuel burgeoning doubts in Russia about Russia's prospects in this war and the competence of Russia's military leaders," the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think take wrote over the weekend.

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Read more: https://theweek.com/russo-ukrainian-war/1013566/russias-thwarted-ukraine-river-crossing-was-so-bloody-pro-russia-war

[Lovie777]

1. Bloggers? .....

It's like given credence to them. I'll follow military experts on our side.

[getagrip_already]

2. It's more likely....

That because this is a group with a huge following, that is almost single mindedly pro-putin, it becomes a sensor into the level of angst in the community.

It's not that they are brilliant tacticians. It's that give insight into the sense of the faithful.

It would be like Maga bloggers suddenly questioning q theories and calling out idiots like MG and paul.

[keithbvadu2]

3. Does Dotard still praise Vlad's genius strategy?

Does Dotard still praise Vlad's genius strategy?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

4. A BRIDGE TOO FAR

Link to tweet