Former commander of the 53rd Kupol Brigade announced a crisis in military training
Colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, former commander of the 53rd Motorized Rifle Brigade Anatoliy Kozel, call sign Kupol, stated the need for reforms in mobilization and combat planning. He emphasized that the military leadership should not be guided by political ratings when making decisions.
He talked about this on his YouTube channel.
Kupol recalled the first months of the full-scale invasion and the high level of support for the army from society. According to him, then volunteers massively joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and local residents helped the military with intelligence, logistics, and evacuation of the wounded. Now, the officer is convinced, the authorities have lost this national-patriotic impulse.
The colonel believes that the mobilization situation can be improved by auditing newly formed brigades. In his opinion, some units with low combat potential should be disbanded and their personnel transferred to more effective units with strong command. He also called for a halt to the formation of new units and a focus on replenishing assault troops.
Separately, Kupol drew attention to the frequent change of brigade commanders. According to him, a commander needs at least a year to form a combat-ready team and build a management system. The constant rotation of leadership undermines stability in the troops.
He also criticized the approach to mobilization, when experienced instructors and specialists from training centers were sent to combat units. This, in his opinion, weakened the training system. Now, the officer noted, the army is forced to restore the institute of instructors and create specialized schools.
Commenting on the Kursk operation, Kupol stated that it was more expedient to conduct it in the format of a short-term raid with a subsequent organized withdrawal. He emphasized that military planning should be based on the real combat situation, not on political considerations.
“We should not mix politics, ratings and real combat operations,” the colonel emphasized.