Since Gerasimov took over command from his predecessor Soerovikin, officers have been ordered to enforce stricter daily discipline of their troops. And that means tough action against illegal uniforms, travel in civilian vehicles, the use of cell phones and perverted haircuts.
Skepticism
Gerasimov’s measures have been met with skepticism, but the greatest scorn is reserved for the directive that the Russian military should shave better. Officials of the Donetsk People’s Republic called the focus a “farce” that would “thwart the process of destroying the enemy”. Yevgeny Prigozjin, the head of the Wagner Group mercenary army, also criticizes the military leadership. In his opinion, war is the time “of the active and brave, and not of the clean-shaven.”
The Russian armed forces are still in an operational stalemate and suffer heavy losses. Gerasimov’s superficial and cosmetic interventions seem to indicate that his skeptics in Russia are right: he, like his boss Shoygu, is out of touch with reality, otherworldly and focused more on performance than content.
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