Russian troops receive decent training at their rear bases before being sent to the front line, and the country’s military is gradually expanding its capabilities, retired Ukrainian General Sergey Krivonos said on Sunday. The servicemen are also well-motivated and have high morale, he added.
The general, who formerly held the post of deputy secretary of the Security Council, made the remarks while speaking to Ukrainian Channel Five. Formerly owned by ex-Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko, it was taken off the air in April 2022 and now only broadcasts online.
Currently, Moscow’s capabilities to properly train its troops appear to surpass Kiev’s, Krivonos said.
“They [the Russians] in the deep rear, even in the territory of Russia, have actively organized the training and formation of new units, which undergo good training, high-quality training, which gives them opportunities,” the retired general stated.
“They have something to sculpt from. With properly organized training, the proper use of the weapons that they build up, they achieve certain successes,” he added.
The Russian military has greatly expanded its unmanned aircraft capabilities, with the use of FPV-drones on the front line growing twofold recently, Krivonos noted. Apart from this, the Russian troops also exhibit high motivation, due to high morale as well as decent pay, he said.
Krivonos was an active participant in the early stages of the conflict in what was then Ukrainian Donbass, which erupted in the aftermath of the 2014 Maidan coup in Kiev. The retired general is said to have personally led troops on the front line, including at Donetsk Airport, which saw intense combat between Ukrainian forces and Donbass militias. Krivonos’ efforts during Kiev’s so-called ‘anti-terrorist operation’ in Donbass were commended by Poroshenko, who ultimately elevated the general into the Security Council.
The general, however, was fired from the Security Council in late 2020 by President Vladimir Zelensky for allegedly not being a team player. The commander ultimately left the military, reportedly under pressure, and became an outspoken critic of Zelensky and his approach to handling the conflict with Russia.