1/ An announcement by the US Army that it is creating a new career pathway for officers to specialise in artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) has prompted Russian concern that it may leapfrog their own military AI/LM capabilities. ⬇️
2/ Alexander Lyubimov, a Russian military volunteer and ally of the imprisoned Igor 'Strelkov' Girkin, writes on his Telegram channel:
"At the end of December, an important yet largely unnoticed event occurred."
3/ "The US Army officially announced the creation of the military occupational specialism "Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Officer."
4/ "This signifies a serious and long-term approach to integrating AI into all military processes, and an opportunity for officers to consistently and systematically build a career in AI.
5/ "Conclusions for us. Currently, the Russian and Ukrainian Armed Forces objectively possess the most experience in using unmanned systems.
6/ "The US Army has clearly decided not to try to quickly catch up with our experience, but to immediately establish a radical systemic superiority by leaping to the next organizational level.
7/ "Importantly, the era of drones in the narrow sense is already ending, and the era of the most widespread use of AI in combat is upon us, when drones (unmanned systems) will be the "arms" of AI.
8/ "Moreover, I would like to point out the most important and terrifying application of AI. This is not target recognition, nor is it autonomous drones.
9/ "This is a new level of operational planning. When complex multi-domain operations are planned down to the second, and plans are adjusted within seconds if necessary. Not hours or days.
10/ "It's quite possible that we saw an example of this new level of planning in the Venezuela operation. We weren't shown the use of new technical means, but we did see a very, very well-planned operation.
11/ "I would like to be wrong in my assumptions about the role of artificial intelligence in creating new forms of American superiority in [military] management."
2/ A new paper in the journal International Organization gives a good explanation of Trump's organising principle, which the authors call "neo-royalism" (analogous to roughly 16th century Europe):
3/ "The neo-royalist order centers on an international system structured by a small group of hyper elites, which we term cliques.
1/ The firing of an "odious" Russian general who is notorious for having caused huge casualties by ordering 'banzai charges' is being celebrated by Russian warbloggers. They warn, however, that he is unlikely to be punished for his failures as he is "protected" by his patrons. ⬇️
2/ Sukhrab Sultanovich Akhmedov, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Navy for Coastal and Ground Forces, is widely reported to have been dismissed in the last few days after several disastrous attacks which produced heavy Russian casualties.
3/ 'Varangian' says that the dismissal – Akhmedov's second during the war so far – is "due to the poorly organised column offensive on Dobropillya on 22 December 2025, which resulted in unnecessary and ineffective losses".
1/ Russian convicts are refusing en masse to join the army, even to serve as officers, according to Igor 'Strelkov' Girkin. He says that nobody believes the Russian Ministry of Defence's promises any more and recruiters are unable to persuade men to go to their deaths. ⬇️
2/ Girkin, a former FSB officer who is currently imprisoned for 'extremism' (i.e. criticising the war effort for being insufficient), writes:
"Today, the military came by to recruit volunteers for the "assault" for officer positions."
3/ "They spoke with me, but again, they simply shrugged their shoulders: recruiting those with "extremist" charges is prohibited. And no one else (except me) has expressed any interest in joining for a long time.
1/ Russian men are reportedly being drugged, trafficked to the army, and married without their knowledge to 'black widows' who get their 'coffin money' compensation payments when they are killed. A story from Samara illustrates what is said to be a growing nationwide racket. ⬇️
2/ Russian warblogger Anastasia Kashevarova highlights what she calls "a black market for trafficking men to the front". She says that the Samara region is a centre for this activity: "People are already being brought in from other regions; this is a whole criminal network."
3/ Kashevarova recounts the story of Ilnar Gabbasov from Bashkiria, who she says became a victim of traffickers while visiting old acquaintances in a Bashkir village. His mother died suddenly during the visit on 16 February 2025.
1/ Ukrainians are said to be funding their war effort by systematically fleecing billions from Russian citizens and businesses through online and phone scams. It's a hidden front of a hybrid war that employs both kinetic means on the battlefield and hacking on the home front. ⬇️
2/ The Russian Telegram channel 'Veterans' Notes' comments that "a full-scale, quiet, and extremely profitable campaign for the enemy has unfolded in the [Russian] rear."
3/ "The scale of financial losses to citizens and the economy from fraudsters has reached the level of a serious threat to national security in the context of the Special Military Operation. This is no longer an epidemic; it is now a way of life.
1/ Russian soldiers are reportedly being punished by being sent into assaults with anti-tank mines strapped to their bodies, made to dig their own graves for complaining, and risk death delivering New Year's Eve alcohol and caviar for their commanders.
2/ Andrei Vladimirovich Shekhovtsev, a member of the Russian 60th Separate motorised rifle brigade (military unit 16871), says that his commanders are systematically abusing, extorting and killing the men under their command.
3/ He says that his evacuation group was ordered on the night of 1 January 2026 to deliver alcohol and red caviar to a command position for a celebration. He refused, citing the danger of Ukrainian attacks. The order was reissued to some Russian drone operators instead.