If you believed military drama in real life was exclusive to films, think again. Russia’s war in Ukraine has gone a few unexpected directions, and the tale isn’t unfolding the way its command had envisioned. The highest echelons of the Russian military have become disturbingly unstable, and generals are being taken out from the battlefield at a speed that would unsettle even the most seasoned commanders.
The British Ministry of Defence itself pointed out the effect of these losses, stating that “the loss of so many senior officers is likely to have had the effect of weakening command and control within sections of the Russian Armed Forces.” Sixteen generals have been killed since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Two top commanders died just this year, and five over the last twelve months alone.
The latest, Major General Mikhail Gudkov, was reportedly killed during a Ukrainian strike on a Russian command post in Kursk oblast—the same area where Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion last August. While Moscow insists it has regained control, Kyiv maintains that fighting continues, leaving observers caught in the fog of war.
So what’s the real-world effect of losing this many top officers? It’s more than just a tally. The British MoD cautions that such attrition induces severe hitches in the chain of command. Russian troops are facing tactical and operational issues, and it’s not just because of buggy equipment or technology. Lack of experienced leadership is hampering gains, especially in hotly contested areas such as Sumy, where Ukrainian counterattacks and piling Russian losses are giving Moscow headaches.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin is not giving up. Putin has adopted hardline negotiating positions, demanding that any peace deal address what he terms the “root causes” of the war. In simple language, that is to say, he demands that Ukraine accept a pro-Russian regime and remain neutral from joining NATO.
He even went so far as to suggest international supervision to organize elections in Ukraine—a suggestion quickly dismissed by both the White House and the UN, highlighting that Ukraine’s citizens and constitution determine the country’s rulers.
Meanwhile, Russia is restructuring its military. The General Staff endorsed a proposal to upgrade five naval infantry brigades to full divisions over the next few years, an effort intended to make maneuver units more powerful. Major General Gudkov had been assigned to assist in leading the effort before his passing, questioning how seamless such transitions will be in the midst of continued leadership attrition.
On the battlefield, things are fluid. Russian forces have made minimal gains in Lyman, Chasiv Yar, and Toretsk-type towns, while the two forces exchange blows in locations such as Kurakhove. Off the battlefield, information warfare is intensifying.
Moscow is engaged in an effort to present Ukraine as unstable and corrupt, in the hopes of undermining Western sympathy. Even the protests in Ukraine against anti-corruption steps are being twisted by Russian disinformation as a sign of internal discontent, though they have no connection to the war.
Putin’s game plan seems to be stamina—hold out for Western support to fade away, make incremental gains, and pressure them into giving up. But with staggering casualties and a shattered command system, that strategy is starting to look shakier by the day.
For readers of this epic, it nearly feels like watching a suspenseful series with twists and turns. The crisis in leadership at the Russian military isn’t a secondary plot—it’s redefining the entire narrative of war in Ukraine, determining outcomes on the battlefield and on the larger chessboard of international geopolitics.