Russia’s Kupiansk Catastrophe: When Military Incompetence Meets Reality

5 min readOct 10, 2024

Ah, the Russian military. When you think they can’t bungle another operation, they go ahead and serve up an assault near Kupiansk that redefines the term trainwreck. Tanks, infantry vehicles, armored personnel carriers — you name it, they threw it in. But instead of a swift, strategic assault, what we got was a tragic comedy of outdated tactics, nonexistent leadership, and logistics that would embarrass a Boy Scout troop on a weekend camping trip. So, buckle up, because here’s a breakdown of how this assault went from questionable to catastrophic and what it says about Russia’s ongoing blunders in Ukraine.

1. Military Rulebook? Russia’s Apparently Never Read It

Let’s start with the basics. Any competent military commander knows the key principles of warfare: keep it secure, keep it simple, and surprise your enemy. The Russian forces? It’s like they decided to go with “none of the above.” They skipped the reconnaissance, didn’t bother securing the advance routes, and handed the initiative to the Ukrainian forces on a silver platter. Ukraine’s troops, meanwhile, were locked and loaded with fortified positions, minefields, and drones giving them a real-time view of every Russian misstep. It’s almost like Russia showed up to a chess match and decided checkers was a better game plan.

2. Tactical Blunders by the Truckload

Now, for a masterclass in what not to do in battle. The Russian forces, in all their wisdom, advanced in dense columns — making themselves perfect targets for Ukrainian artillery and anti-tank weapons. In military terms, it’s like hanging a neon sign that says “Shoot Here!” The Ukrainians didn’t need a second invitation, using precision artillery and drones to rip apart these packed formations. And splitting their units didn’t help either. Russia’s tactics here are a stark reminder: when you’re stuck using yesterday’s strategy against today’s tech, it doesn’t end well.

3. Leadership and Training: The Great Russian Disconnect

Ah, leadership — the one area where Russian forces seem to be running on empty. Troops were deployed without preparation, and to make matters worse, artillery personnel were thrown into infantry roles with no retraining. And then there are the elite Spetsnaz forces — some of Russia’s best — being misused in roles that don’t even align with their training. The leadership here is as rigid as a frozen river in January, and that top-down style is stifling any chance of flexibility. Junior officers are left standing around like deer in headlights when the situation shifts. In modern warfare, where speed and adaptability are king, Russia’s stuck trying to play with a playbook from the Cold War.

4. Logistical Woes: The Keystone Cops of Military Support

Now let’s talk logistics. Russia seems to be relying on a Soviet-era supply model, which is about as outdated as a dial-up modem. Their troops suffered from shortages of everything — ammo, equipment, even basic support. The lack of coordination left them scrambling without artillery or air support, essentially walking targets for Ukrainian forces. This isn’t just a logistical slip-up; it’s a full-on disconnect, a mess that makes you wonder if anyone back at Russian HQ even remembers how warfare is supposed to work. In today’s rapid-response battlefield, they’re running a marathon in molasses.

5. Kupiansk: The Russian Military’s Painful Reality Check

In the end, Kupiansk isn’t just another failed assault. It’s a symptom of much bigger issues lurking within the Russian military machine. From a top-heavy command structure to an entrenched culture of misinformation, this assault highlights problems that go way beyond tactical blunders. Junior officers inflating reports to keep the brass happy, command structures that suppress flexibility — these aren’t the quirks of a modern fighting force; they’re the hallmarks of an institution stuck in the past. Without some serious overhauls, Russia’s just going to keep stumbling along, weighed down by its own outdated systems and dragging its troops through one disastrous assault after another.

So there you have it: Kupiansk, a case study in military incompetence. Russia may have the numbers on paper, but with strategies like these, they might as well be sending tin soldiers to a drone fight. As long as they’re stuck in this cycle of dated tactics and logistical chaos, they’re not going to have a chance against a modern, adaptable force like Ukraine.

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