“Unable” to defend land
Russian war bloggers harshly criticize the military
8/31/2023 9:47 am
Drone attacks on Russian territory are increasing almost daily. Russian war bloggers are alarmed and accuse the military of weak air defenses. There are “no safe places in western Russia” anymore.
A growing number of Russian military bloggers and propagandists are criticizing the Russian Armed Forces “for their inability to defend Russian territory and military installations, while at the same time criticizing the Russian Defense Ministry’s recent censorship measures.” This is what the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) writes in its report.
A military blogger criticized Russian television for not covering the latest attacks near the Pskov region, which is a sign of the Russian Defense Ministry’s ongoing efforts to curb coverage of the war in Ukraine and thus reduce news consumption in Ukraine to control Russia.
Another military blogger close to the Kremlin also criticized weak air defenses, citing the recent attacks on Pskov airfield in contrast to Russia’s air defenses in Crimea, according to the ISW. The milblogger’s criticism was also directed at the failure of the Russian authorities to store valuable aircraft in hangars.
Another drone attack on Moscow
Another popular military blogger expressed concern about Ukraine’s growing military capabilities, adding that there will be “no safe places in western Russia.” The Russian armed forces should take this into account in the future when securing strategic facilities.
According to its own statements, just last night Russia again fended off a Ukrainian drone bound for Moscow. The air defense forces in Voskresensky, about 60 kilometers from Moscow, “destroyed a drone approaching Moscow,” Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in the online service Telegram. The Russian Defense Ministry later said the drone came from Ukraine. According to the Moscow Mayor, there were no casualties or damage, according to initial estimates.
Several Russian regions were targeted in a night wave of attacks on Wednesday. Among them was Pskov Airport near the border with Estonia, where a Ukrainian drone damaged at least two military planes. The airport is about 700 kilometers from the border with Ukraine. According to the Russian aviation authority, normal flight operations resumed there on Thursday morning.