Thread by @MarkHertling

If these reports of GEN Gerasimov being wounded (and many others being killed and wounded) in the Izyum front, it's a big deal.

But for even more reasons that this being "another general" being killed/wounded on the front lines.

Let me explain in this 🧵 1/15

https://twitter.com/michaeldweiss/status/1520818317375778817

GEN Valery Gerasimov was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces & First Deputy Defence Minister by Putin on 9 November 2012.

In other words, he has been the counterpart of our Chairman of the Joint Staff for 10 years!

The #1 guy in RU's military. 2/

Since 2012, he has engaged with our CJCS, Generals' Dempsey, GEN Dunford, & - for the last 4 years - GEN Milley.

He is linked with Russia's "Gerasimov Doctrine," & he was likely the 'brainchild" of the original operation against Ukraine.

He was Putin's "main man." 3/

A few weeks ago, Putin named Aleksandr Vladimirovich Dvornikov (the "butcher") the new commander of the Ukrainian theater of operation. He called Gerasimov back to Moscow.

Good call having a "theater commander."

Last week, rumor has Gerasimov in Izyum.

My reaction: WTF? 4/

This would be the equivalent of placing GEN Milley in charge of a tactical battle in a small sector under the operational command of, say, GEN Wolters of EUCOM.

Embarrassing for the senior dude (Gerasimov); awkward for the junior dude (Dvornikov).

And who's in Moscow? 5/

What makes it worse...apparently (if reports are correct) *someone* (Gerasimov?) decided to have a battlefield "huddle" on the front lines near the intense fight occurring near Izyum.

Not a smart "general officer" move. 6/

Then...to make it even worse...it appears RU is still having Command, Control, Communication & Intelligence (C3I) issues.

Russia is having a very hard time overcoming their reliance on overt hierarchical command structure. 7/

As I've said on @CNN & in these tweets, Ukraine's Army has been learning the concept of "mission command" during training w/ US and NATO forces over the last few years.

Mission command is tough, the US military struggles with it at times, but it's required! 8/

It dates back to Helmuth von Moltke, Chief of the Prussian General Staff during the Franco-Prussian War.

It was called "Auftragstaktik." It described how subordinates took action in the absence of orders ...actions that support intent.

Mission command comes from that. 9/

US doctrine defines MISSION COMMAND as "the exercise of authority & direction by the commander using mission orders to enable disciplined initiative within the commander's intent to empower agile & adaptive leaders in the conduct of unified land operations."

Long sentence. 10/

Our doctrine teaches commanders & subordinates to build battlefield relationships centered upon seven principles of mission command:
Competence
Mutual trust
Shared understanding
Commander's intent
Mission orders
Disciplined initiative
Risk acceptance with mitigation. 11/

Additionally, leader development requires commanders "build their bench."

That is, ensure they take time in ensuring their are those on their team who can "take over" if someone is killed or injured on the battlefield.

(See Mel Gibson's scene in "We Were Soldiers....") 12/

From my limited observations of the Russian Army, they have no clue how to do this.

At the senior, middle, or junior level.

The result is indiscipline and chaos when someone is killed or injured and removed from the field. 13/

Ukraine's army has transformed in the last 15 years.

They realize casualties occur on the battlefield, and junior leaders step up to maintain the initiative.

This is another area where the UA outshines the Russian army. 14/

A final thought.

This morning I saw people discussing on the internet how some of these "tips" on twitter provides Russian info that would help them "fix" their mistakes.

Yeah, that won't happen. Their culture is flawed.

So don't worry about "tips." 15/15