weehingthong

NEW: We reviewed more than a thousand pages of Russian military documents left behind in a command bunker in Balakliia, Ukraine. The documents shed new light on Russia's chaotic retreat from the Kharkiv area in Sept. Thread with some of our findings 1/x pic.twitter.com/iUmyKdGo6i

— Mari Saito (@saitomri) October 26, 2022

From a roster of daily briefings and other documents seen in the bunker, here was the command structure in place in Balakliia. Ivan Popov headed the military grouping for "Balakliia". He's since been promoted to general, according to his wife. 3/x pic.twitter.com/ioRHG7jiV1

— Mari Saito (@saitomri) October 26, 2022

A mixture of soldiers from Russia and separatist Luhansk occupied the building. The head of a Luhansk flame-thrower company recorded in one document that eight of his subordinates had previous convictions – including one man for rape and sexual assault.

— Mari Saito (@saitomri) October 26, 2022

Another document, a spreadsheet, showed the pay discrepancy between Russian and Luhansk soldiers. A typical Russian sergeant was paid 202,084 roubles a month in salary plus bonuses, while a sergeant in the separatist force received just 91,200. So less than half.

— Mari Saito (@saitomri) October 26, 2022

Interesting dive into Russian abandoned documents from Balakliia. Some highlights below. https://t.co/PsxjhFvNNG

— Oscar Jonsson (@OAJonsson) October 26, 2022

“By the end of August, the documents show, the force was depleted, hit by death, desertions and combat stress. Two units – accounting for about a sixth of the total force – were operating at 20% of their full strength.”

— Oscar Jonsson (@OAJonsson) October 26, 2022

“The Balakliia force included a commandant responsible for keeping the local civilian population in check.“Granit” (Granite) oversaw at least one interrogation centre where civilians were beaten and questioned using electric shocks”

— Oscar Jonsson (@OAJonsson) October 26, 2022

“Kharkiv regional police said Ukrainian investigators had discovered 22 torture chambers across newly liberated towns and villages in the region”

— Oscar Jonsson (@OAJonsson) October 26, 2022

“Documents in the bunker show that Russian commanders understood the shortcomings of their force.
On July 19, hours before the battle of Hrakove, an unnamed officer scribbled on the daily briefing note a plea for drones to track the enemy:  “Quadcopters!!! Urgent!””

— Oscar Jonsson (@OAJonsson) October 26, 2022

Notable impact of HIMARS.

“3 days later, on July 24, the author of the handwritten notebook recorded that a HIMARS strike had killed 12 Russian soldiers belonging to the 336th marines brigade of the Baltic Fleet. The fight further eroded morale and discipline among the soldiers”

— Oscar Jonsson (@OAJonsson) October 26, 2022

“a spreadsheet dated Aug. 30 showed that the force was at only 71% of full strength. Some units were far worse off. The 2nd assault battalion had 49 personnel. It should have had 240. The 9th BARS brigade, an irregular unit, was at 23% of its intended manpower”

— Oscar Jonsson (@OAJonsson) October 26, 2022

““It was just chaos,” said one of the two locals, Serhii, who lived across the street from the command headquarters. “There was a traffic jam” of fleeing Russians, he said.”

— Oscar Jonsson (@OAJonsson) October 26, 2022