1/ The Russian Black Sea Fleet is reportedly in a "systemic crisis" due to manpower problems, a recruitment campaign that is mainly attracting "chronic alcoholics and drug addicts", and ongoing systemic corruption involving stealing repair funds for unseaworthy ships. ⬇️
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2/ The VChK-OGPU Telegram channel reports that, according to a source, "All vacations have been cancelled, units are overcrowded, and newly arrived contract soldiers are being massively appointed to key positions in the crews."
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3/ "About 70% of them are chronic alcoholics and drug addicts. For such “fighters”, the Black Sea Fleet administration has come up with a special “punishment” – transfer to the 810th Separate Marine Brigade.
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4/ "The newly appointed brigade commander, Guards Colonel Oleynikov, is not thrilled – to put it mildly – that his unit is being turned into a dumping ground for problematic personnel, while the commanders of ship and boat formations in the rear are quietly…
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5/ … making money on “repairs” of ships. This is already provoking a direct conflict between him, the commanders of other brigades and personally the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Vice-Admiral Pinchuk.
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6/ "But this is not the first case of a conflict between a brigade commander and a commander. Recently, the commander of the 4th Separate Submarine Brigade, Dmitry Skarga, was given a disciplinary penalty in the form of incomplete service compliance and a severe reprimand…
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7/ …by the commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet for the presence of military personnel outside the unit during wartime."
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8/ Skarga was earlier reported to be a key figure in a corrupt scheme to keep unseaworthy vessels in service so that large amounts of money allocated to repair work could be skimmed off by senior officers.
1/ Black Sea Fleet commanders have reportedly imposed severe restrictions on their subordinates in retaliation for leaks portraying senior officers as involved in corrupt schemes. They are said to be keeping unseaworthy vessels in service to corruptly divert repair funds. ⬇️
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9/ Meanwhile, the 810th Separate Marine Brigade has gained notoriety for its persistently severe losses, in the Kursk region last year and in Russia's Sumy pocket currently.
1/ Russia's 810th Marine Brigade is reported to be suffering huge casualties as it attempts to recapture the Kursk region, with a thousand of its men reported missing in October 2024 alone. Commanders are being accused of 'murdering' their troops. ⬇️
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10/ The influx of drug addicts and alcoholics is likely linked to a bounty scheme operating in the Russian police service. In a number of Russian regions, the police are receiving bonuses of between 10,000-100,000 rubles ($125-$1,250) for sending detainees to the war.
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11/ In practice, this is resulting in them detaining "antisocial elements" – drunks, drug addicts, and the homeless – and either pressuring them to sign contracts or getting them to do so while incapacitated. x.com/ChrisO_wiki/st…
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12/ Such soldiers are of little military value. Russian commanders reportedly seek to get rid of them quickly by sending them to their deaths in assault squads, so that they can be replaced quickly with higher-quality recruits. /end x.com/ChrisO_wiki/st…