The King is Naked: The Re-Emergence of the Long-Lasting Systematic Problems Within the Russian Military During the Invasion of Ukraine

• In Event: Power, Propaganda, and Predation: Contemporary Russia's International Strategies of Control and Influence

Abstract

In the summer of 2000, the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk sank due to a combination of insufficient training, funding, technology, and mismanagement. The loss of the submarine compounded Russia's numerous military humiliations since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, the indifferent response of newly inaugurated President Vladimir Putin triggered significant public unrest. Shortly after the disaster, Putin’s administration committed itself to rebuilding Russia’s military power. As a result, a new image of Russian military strength emerged during foreign interventions in the Caucasus, Crimea, and the Middle East, enhancing Putin’s prestige both domestically and internationally. However, twenty-two years after the loss of Kursk, Russia suffered a strikingly similar humiliation with the sinking of its Black Sea flagship cruiser, Moskva, during its so-called ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine. By drawing parallels between these two cases, this study aims to expose the artificially constructed and exploited image of military power under the Putin administration, despite the persistent systemic failures within the Russian Armed Forces.

Author

• Omer E Ozkan, U of Cincinnati