1/ False claims by Russian commanders to have captured Ukrainian towns and villages – a practice known as 'taking on credit' – have likely cost thousands of Russian lives through 2025. A Russian commentary highlights some of the most egregious claims. ⬇️
2/ The map above, published on the Russian Ministry of Defence's Telegram channel, claims control of settlements near Kupyansk that were never in Russian hands. Similar official maps show the Russian front line kilometres ahead of where independent observers place it.
3/ As discussed in the thread below, Russian commanders have many personal incentives to falsely claim captures. The result is that soldiers are often sent without support to (re)capture settlements that are already claimed to be under Russian control.
@ChrisO_wiki
1/ Russian commanders are said to be faking successes in the war in Ukraine in order to earn cash bonuses and awards, an approach Russian sources call "taking on credit". This is being blamed for Ukraine's recent advances in the Kursk region. ⬇️ https://t.co/L4TlZ7ROZZ
4/ 'Brothers in Arms' highlights how 'taking on credit' has been a consistent theme through 2025:
"Well, guys, 2025 is over. We decided to take a little rest and remember one thing that's been bugging us all last year. Taking, damn it, on credit."
5/ "When command reports that an objective has been taken, we then have to actually take it. And often at a price no one wants to count.
6/ "The main thing:
Oleksiivka was declared "taken" in the summer. Well, you remember how many months after that we "took" it. Hopefully, we took it in October.
7/ "Toretsk was declared taken in the winter, but fighting there raged until spring. The enemy was inside the city limits, and we were told to "cleanse" it.
8/ "Kupyansk, who knows how many times it's been "taken" already. Spring, summer, fall, new reports each time. But in fact, it's still there, block after block.
9/ "Volchansk was "taken" in the summer, then "cleaned up." The fighting never stopped.
Siversk was reported as fully under control in the fall. Meanwhile, there are reports of fighting on the outskirts and within.
10/ "Pokrovsk "reached the city" in the fall. Really, [only] the suburbs, logistics, unstable control.
"Chasiv Yar was either "taken" or "cleansed" all year long. The city remained a zone of active fighting for a long time.
11/ "And these are only the relatively large towns. We won't even mention the outright "granny-villages" [settlements where only old women live]; there are dozens of such cases.
12/ "If these were just pretty reports for the leadership, maybe they wouldn't say a word. But because we're then sent to take what they already have written down on paper, and the enemy knows it perfectly well, the losses are simply brutal.
13/ "That's precisely why we're paying attention. Because thanks to scribblers like these in their cozy offices, the losses are far greater than they otherwise would have been." /end
1/ False claims by Russian commanders to have captured Ukrainian towns and villages – a practice known as 'taking on credit' – have likely cost thousands of Russian lives through 2025. A Russian commentary highlights some of the most egregious claims. ⬇️2/ The map above, published on the Russian Ministry of Defence's Telegram channel, claims control of settlements near Kupyansk that were never in Russian hands. Similar official maps show the Russian front line kilometres ahead of where independent observers place it.3/ As discussed in the thread below, Russian commanders have many personal incentives to falsely claim captures. The result is that soldiers are often sent without support to (re)capture settlements that are already claimed to be under Russian control.4/ 'Brothers in Arms' highlights how 'taking on credit' has been a consistent theme through 2025:
"Well, guys, 2025 is over. We decided to take a little rest and remember one thing that's been bugging us all last year. Taking, damn it, on credit."5/ "When command reports that an objective has been taken, we then have to actually take it. And often at a price no one wants to count.6/ "The main thing:
Oleksiivka was declared "taken" in the summer. Well, you remember how many months after that we "took" it. Hopefully, we took it in October.7/ "Toretsk was declared taken in the winter, but fighting there raged until spring. The enemy was inside the city limits, and we were told to "cleanse" it.8/ "Kupyansk, who knows how many times it's been "taken" already. Spring, summer, fall, new reports each time. But in fact, it's still there, block after block.9/ "Volchansk was "taken" in the summer, then "cleaned up." The fighting never stopped.
Siversk was reported as fully under control in the fall. Meanwhile, there are reports of fighting on the outskirts and within.10/ "Pokrovsk "reached the city" in the fall. Really, [only] the suburbs, logistics, unstable control.
"Chasiv Yar was either "taken" or "cleansed" all year long. The city remained a zone of active fighting for a long time.11/ "And these are only the relatively large towns. We won't even mention the outright "granny-villages" [settlements where only old women live]; there are dozens of such cases.12/ "If these were just pretty reports for the leadership, maybe they wouldn't say a word. But because we're then sent to take what they already have written down on paper, and the enemy knows it perfectly well, the losses are simply brutal.13/ "That's precisely why we're paying attention. Because thanks to scribblers like these in their cozy offices, the losses are far greater than they otherwise would have been." /end
Source:
yes
1/ False claims by Russian commanders to have captured Ukrainian towns and villages – a practice known as 'taking on credit' – have likely cost thousands of Russian lives through 2025. A Russian commentary highlights some of the most egregious claims. ⬇️ ... 2/ The map above, published on the Russian Ministry of Defence's Telegram channel, claims control of settlements near Kupyansk that were never in Russian hands. Similar official maps show the Russian front line kilometres ahead of where independent observers place it. ... 3/ As discussed in the thread below, Russian commanders have many personal incentives to falsely claim captures. The result is that soldiers are often sent without support to (re)capture settlements that are already claimed to be under Russian control. ... 4/ 'Brothers in Arms' highlights how 'taking on credit' has been a consistent theme through 2025:
"Well, guys, 2025 is over. We decided to take a little rest and remember one thing that's been bugging us all last year. Taking, damn it, on credit." ... 5/ "When command reports that an objective has been taken, we then have to actually take it. And often at a price no one wants to count. ... 6/ "The main thing:
Oleksiivka was declared "taken" in the summer. Well, you remember how many months after that we "took" it. Hopefully, we took it in October. ... 7/ "Toretsk was declared taken in the winter, but fighting there raged until spring. The enemy was inside the city limits, and we were told to "cleanse" it. ... 8/ "Kupyansk, who knows how many times it's been "taken" already. Spring, summer, fall, new reports each time. But in fact, it's still there, block after block. ... 9/ "Volchansk was "taken" in the summer, then "cleaned up." The fighting never stopped.
Siversk was reported as fully under control in the fall. Meanwhile, there are reports of fighting on the outskirts and within. ... 10/ "Pokrovsk "reached the city" in the fall. Really, [only] the suburbs, logistics, unstable control.
"Chasiv Yar was either "taken" or "cleansed" all year long. The city remained a zone of active fighting for a long time. ... 11/ "And these are only the relatively large towns. We won't even mention the outright "granny-villages" [settlements where only old women live]; there are dozens of such cases. ... 12/ "If these were just pretty reports for the leadership, maybe they wouldn't say a word. But because we're then sent to take what they already have written down on paper, and the enemy knows it perfectly well, the losses are simply brutal. ... 13/ "That's precisely why we're paying attention. Because thanks to scribblers like these in their cozy offices, the losses are far greater than they otherwise would have been." /end
Source:
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
Update
