Thread by @ChrisO_wiki

1/ Russian sources say that soldiers with rare specialities, such as tank drivers, UAV operators or even anaesthesiologists, are being sent to fight in the front lines and serve as stormtroopers. This is reportedly being caused by a severe shortage of assault troops. ⬇️

2/ The Russian blogger Anastasia Kashevarova says there is a "huge problem" with the "transfer of fighters with rare specialities to the [assault units of] the motorised riflemen."

3/ Kashevarova writes: "We receive letters with tragic stories about talented UAV operators, RPG operators, tankers, who were transferred to the storm troops on the same day and died on their very first mission.

4/ "And the problem is not that they failed to complete the assault mission, but that due to this practice, the number of soldiers with specialities is decreasing, and it takes time to train a new tanker or drone operator.

5/ "At the same time, it is obvious that there is not an oversupply of servicemen with such specialities.

There are also more egregious cases. For example, we had to deal with a situation where an anaesthesiologist was sent to the front lines, where he was digging trenches.

6/ "Although you don’t have to be a doctor to understand that he would be much more useful in a military field hospital."

Calling this "a talentless and irresponsible waste of personnel", Kashevarova attributes this to "a shortage of stormtroopers on some parts of the front".

7/ She says that is "not uncommon for commanders to remove highly qualified specialists from their posts and send them into assaults."

8/ This is likely the result of two related issues. First, the Russians are suffering huge casualties in their assault, which the Ukrainians call "meat waves". Commanders likely find themselves needing to scrape up whatever troops they can find to man fresh assaults.

9/ Second, other Russian commentators have said that field commanders are lying to their superiors about the losses they are sustaining. For nearly 2 years, Russian sources have repeatedly said that manpower is far more depleted than the General Command recognises or admits.

10/ According to Kashevarova, "Without prior training and, often, without the necessary physical qualities, such servicemen, as a rule, are quickly killed in offensive actions.

11/ "At the same time, it is also problematic to find replacements for them at their previous place of service - you need people trained in specific specialities and with experience."

12/ Kashevarova writes that "such situations can be resolved" through the military prosecutor's office. She cites the example of "a grenade launcher soldier who was transferred to the stormtroopers" but had his transfer cancelled following an appeal.

13/ However, Kashevarova cautions, it is impossible to file appeals for every case. It takes "no less than thirty days" for an appeal to be processed.

14/ "During this time, the soldier can die three hundred times, without waiting for the Motherland to recognize him as a valuable specialist." /end

Source:
t.me/akashevarova/7…