General Sobko says Ukraine’s Armed Forces need immediate changes. Otherwise, they face defeat
Deputy Commander of the 11th Army Corps Brigadier General Serhii Sobko warned that without immediate systemic changes, Ukraine risks defeat in the war because the current course pursued by the senior command is destroying the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s key advantages: speed, flexibility, commanders’ autonomy and honesty within the ranks.
He wrote this on Facebook, Censor.NET informs.
Loyalty over competence: the destruction of personnel potential
General Serhii Sobko emphasised that at the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine held out not because of its numerical strength, but because commanders had the authority to make bold decisions and assume responsibility. The atmosphere within the military has now changed fundamentally, turning into a hunt for culprits:
"There are things that must be discussed openly today. The Armed Forces need urgent changes; otherwise we could suffer defeat. The greatest threat to the Ukrainian military today is not only Russia. Decisions that are gradually stripping the military of the qualities that allowed it to withstand the beginning of the full-scale aggression are becoming an equally serious threat...Today, an increasing number of commanders are forced to think not only about accomplishing their combat mission but also about how to avoid punishment. Internal investigations increasingly seek culprits instead of causes. Professional debate is often perceived as disloyalty and initiative as a threat. In such an atmosphere, commanders stop taking risks to achieve success and begin taking risks only for their own survival within the system."
According to the general, the distortion of personnel policy poses a particular danger, with professionalism being replaced by behind-the-scenes arrangements. Strong commanders with independent views are increasingly left without support or leave the service, while the "most compliant" are promoted:
"It is also particularly alarming that senior command positions are sometimes given to people who face serious questions regarding the law or professional integrity. For the officer corps, this means that the standards demanded of others for years no longer apply equally to everyone."
The trap of distorted information and micromanagement
The modern battlefield changes every day, requiring decentralised command. However, Sobko said the Armed Forces are showing a dangerous trend towards concentrating all decisions "at the top" and imposing total micromanagement. In addition, senior headquarters are deliberately insulating themselves from the reality on the front.
"There is another problem that is discussed far less often. The quality of any decision is determined by the quality of the information behind it. If information becomes embellished, softened, or tailored to the leadership’s expectations as it passes through the levels of command, misguided decisions become inevitable. A system that stops honestly telling itself the truth will sooner or later begin losing to reality. Despite all this, the Ukrainian military continues to fight and achieve results. But increasingly, this is to the credit of individuals rather than the system. The professionalism, initiative and self-sacrifice of commanders and soldiers compensate for its shortcomings. The price of that compensation is lost time, lost opportunities and, most frighteningly, lost lives," he emphasised, adding that victory can only be secured through high-quality military leadership based on respect, honesty and dignity.
