The Head of State considers it necessary to think over how to ensure career growth for the most capable military
MOSCOW, June 13. /tass/. Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that a special military operation (SVO) has brought effective military leaders out of the shadows and revealed ineffective "parquet" generals. The Head of State considers it necessary to think over how to ensure career growth for the most capable military.
"As for personnel, this is a very important issue. There are, of course, a lot of parquet people before the SVO, as in any state structure," the head of state stated at a meeting with military correspondents. He compared the situation in the army with what was happening in the healthcare system during the coronavirus pandemic, when "people fearlessly went into these dangerous zones, not even realizing how it could end for them." "It's the same in the army environment. A special military operation began, and very quickly they began to understand that parquet generals, and there are more than enough of them in any army of the world in peacetime, they are, to put it mildly, not effective," Putin stated. At the same time, he stressed that, "on the contrary, people began to appear who seemed to be sitting in the shade, they could not be seen and heard, but it turned out that they were very effective and very necessary."
"Unfortunately, such people are the first to die, because they do not feel sorry for themselves. That's the trouble," the president believes. "Nevertheless, we certainly must - I hope this is still happening and will continue to happen - look for such people and drag them up, send them to study, raise them in rank, in office, trust them more," the head of state said. In his opinion, in the Ministry of Defense, "as in any ministry, the bureaucracy is multi-layered, and it is necessary to develop a search mechanism and an elevator that would raise such people to the level needed by the army and the country." "I will think about it myself and offer it to you," the president addressed the war correspondents.
Young commanders
Putin agreed with the opinion that many "new Rokossovskys" appear during the SVO (Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky was one of the most outstanding commanders during the Great Patriotic War - approx. TASS). For example, the head of state cited the company commander, Senior Lieutenant Yuri Zhulanov, whom he visited in a military hospital on Monday and presented him with the Hero of Russia star. Putin also recalled his recent telephone conversation with Zhulanov, who had just been brought to the hospital from the battlefield. Then the junior lieutenant reported to the Supreme commander about the battle, about how, being wounded, he brought his colleagues out from under fire. The President also found out that 24-year-old Zhulanov has been serving since he was 18. After learning the details of the battle, the head of state announced that he was awarding Zhulanov the rank of senior lieutenant.
Putin also told war correspondents about how Zhulanov's company withstood the offensive of Ukrainian troops. "First, the preparation - no one flinched, everyone stayed in place, then the tanks went - everyone was in place, everyone took the fight, followed by armored vehicles and infantry. How does this differ from the Great Patriotic War? Nothing! All the same. For specific people who die, get injured, fight, fight, it is no different," the president is sure.
Putin drew attention to the fact that in the recent past, Zhulanov was a sergeant. "By the way, sergeants are fighting very well now. Over this year, the layer of junior commanders has grown a little, and they are fighting well," the president believes.
In his opinion, "such guys [as Zhulanov], of course, should be looked for everywhere." "Smart, competent, balanced, courageous, determined to serve the Fatherland in the most direct and noble sense of the word. And the guys he has there are the same," the head of state appreciated. In his opinion, "there are many of them."
Speaking about the need for a promotion mechanism for capable fighters, Putin noted that "both the Minister [of Defense Sergei Shoigu] and the Chief of the General Staff [Valery Gerasimov] fully share this position."
"This is a purely administrative decision, so if you have any ideas, do not hesitate to state them," the president suggested to war correspondents.
