Thread by @ChrisO_wiki

1/ Three Russian generals are reported to have been sacked over the provision of poor-quality uniforms, which has left troops fighting in Ukraine without adequate protection against the cold. A further scandal has erupted over the decision to appoint a new uniform provider. ⬇️

2/ The independent Russian news outlet Verstka reports:

3/ "A month ago, on 19 January, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Defence with the participation of its head, Sergei Shoigu, and the chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, two sources familiar with the topic of the meeting said.

4/ The meeting discussed the quality of the military uniforms that are currently being supplied, particularly to the Russian armed forces in Ukraine.

5/ Their quality raised questions among the military commanders, who criticized the cut and seams of the uniform: in their opinion, it did not meet the requirements of thermal insulation, and the military personnel complained of cold and inconvenience.

6/ Shoigu and Gerasimov's dissatisfaction was so great that the meeting resulted in the dismissal of three logistics generals.

7/ The Ministry of Defense works with numerous suppliers of uniforms, and criticism was directed at several of them, including CJSC "Kirasa" and TsNIITOCHMASH."

8/ Verstka reports that uniforms will now be supplied by the Gardarika Design Bureau (see thread below). However, this has been criticised on Russian social media for its high cost and the owners' dubious business record and links with senior officials.

https://twitter.com/TheDeadDistrict/status/1623625690770771972

9/ Gardarika was only established in March 2022. 66% of the company is owned by 22-year-old Artyom Stepanenko (right), the son of the deputy head of the Federal Property Management Agency and former governor of the Yaroslavl region, Dmitry Stepanenko.

10/ Artyom Stepanenko appears to have no previous background in clothing manufacture. His only previous claims to fame were in crashing two expensive cars – a $100,000 Tesla and a Mercedes – and driving off without stopping in the second incident.

11/ Russian social media users have criticised Gardarika for charging inexplicably high prices for its products. As Verstka notes, Gardarika charges 4,500 rubles ($60) for a military cap, compared to 1,350 rubles for a competitor's equivalent.

12/ Similarly, a full winter uniform costs as much as 210,000 rubles ($2,800), considerably more than equivalent products. When Russian social media users pointed this out, Gardarika first removed prices from its website, then closed the entire site.

13/ Social media criticism has been scathing, with many – probably correctly – seeing the contract as a corrupt deal to push money into the pockets of well-connected people. The Wagner Group-linked Grey Zone Telegram channel puts the blame on Shoigu:

14/ "The issue here is a bit broader than simply that OKB Gardarika, who sew things from shitty materials with zero experience, and sell them at Cry Precision prices, are 'the best tailors in the world' (which, without exaggeration, the funniest part about it).

15/ The issue is that Shoigu's department has happily agreed to buy it all. Shoigu, who fucked up all the mobilisation supply reserves. When they came to the warehouses and they were empty. Everything has been sold and stolen over the years.

16/ All fighters are clothed by our good [civilian] populace, whether they are mobilised or regular servicemen. Not only does it clothe them, but it also provides them with equipment. Sights. Quadcopters. And even vehicles (jeeps).

17/ How this completely incompetent fucker hasn't been fired yet, I don't know. He's been lying all these years to everyone, from the people and the soldiers to the president. And he has already lost the credibility of the former. It's up to the latter to decide.

18/ Only Putin can change the situation in any way, only he can remove this charlatan and his entourage of generals from any involvement with the Russian Army!"

19/ According to Stepanenko, production of the new uniforms was only launched a month ago but was already approved by the Ministry of Defence.

Verstka says that the decision to appoint Gardarika as a contractor has caused a further scandal in the Ministry of Defence.

20/ A source says that it's unlikely that the contract will be revoked, but "heads could roll" at the ministry over the matter.

Sources:
🔹 verstka.media/skandal-iz-za-…
🔹 t.me/grey_zone/17119
🔹 t.me/milinfolive/96…
🔹 bloknot.ru/obshhestvo/kom…
🔹 msk1.ru/text/incidents…

trinitymedia.ai/player/share/c…

threadreaderapp.com/thread/1626148…