How the fate of Putin’s generals reveals cracks in Russia’s army | DW News

Distrust in Russia’s military command has become a major headache in its war on Ukraine. Ultra-nationalists have criticised the Ministry of Defense, claming that generals are judged more for loyalty than performance on the battlefield. Recently a number of high-level generals have been fired - or worse. A prominent hard-liner who accused the Kremlin of weakness and indecision has also been detained, suggesting infighting over the conduct of the war. While the top brass stuggles to keep things together, the lower ranks of the Russian military are also plagued with morale issues. Russian military courts have reported more than a thousand cases of desertion, and western observers say soldiers fleeing military service is on the rise. Two of those men told DW why they decided go AWOL and flee Russia. Subscribe: For more news go to: Follow DW on social media: ►Facebook: