On January 25, Russian military bloggers criticized the Russian government for not prioritizing the recruitment and training of the next generation of Russian soldiers and officers.
This is stated in the daily analysis of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
One Russian military blogger claims that today's Russian youth are more patriotic than previous generations, but another military blogger claims that the Russian government is failing to take advantage of this trend. He even criticized Russian youth for pointing out problems in the Russian military without joining it or working to develop solutions.
Another military blogger criticized Russian military academies for prioritizing state awards over proper training of cadets.
He did not fail to point out that the Russian military has expelled many professional soldiers who joined the army in 2024. due to behavioral or training issues.
A third military blogger noted that the Russian military does not pay cadets a living wage and accused the Russian military command of being negligent about the future of the Russian officer corps.
A Kremlin-linked Russian blogger noted that the Russian government needs to adjust its youth policies and propaganda.
Russian forces have recently advanced further in the Velikaya Novosilka area, amid official Russian claims that Russian forces captured the entire village on January 26.
The Russian Defense Ministry is paying unusually close attention to claims that Russian forces have captured Velikaya Novosilka, which is likely part of an information effort to shape Western perceptions of the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine and to reduce international support for Ukraine.
The capture and clearing of Velikaya Novosilka is likely to provide opportunities and serve to decision by the Russian military command on whether to redirect elements of the Russian Eastern Military District from the Velikaya Novosilka area to other priority operational areas.
Any redirection of elements from the Velikaya Novosilka area in the coming weeks will indicate the priority operational areas of the Russian military command for offensive operations in the spring and summer of 2025.
Russian forces are ready to capture Toretsk in the coming days, and the redirection of elements to reinforce the Russian force grouping in the direction of Toretsk will indicate new Russian priority efforts to resume attacks in the direction of Kostantinovka.
Russian forces have recently advanced near Borova, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhovo.
On the night of January 25-26, Ukrainian forces launched a second strike on an oil refinery in the Ryazan region.
Ukrainian forces have advanced into the Kursk region and restored positions in Toretsk.