'Likely' Russia cancelled major military exercise due to lack of troops, equipment and fear of domestic criticism, MOD says
It is "highly likely" Russia has cancelled a major annual exercise "intended to be the culmination of the military's training year" due to the military's poor performance in Ukraine, according to the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
In the latest defence update on Twitter, the MOD there was a high chance Moscow had cancelled "Exercise ZAPAD ('West') 23, its planned Joint Strategic Exercise (JSE)".
The MOD also said the exercise is a "major annual event intended to be the culmination of the military's training year".
"The exercise should have taken place in September 2023," the MOD said in a post on X - formerly known as Twitter.
"From 2010 Russia ran a four-year cycle, rotating JSEs around the country.
"However, since 2021, Russia has based the JSE in western Russia at least every second year as it prioritises confronting what it perceives as the threat from Nato.
"This follows ZAPAD 21, the largest Russian exercise since Soviet times.
"The Russian military's under-performance in Ukraine has highlighted how JSEs have had limited training value and have largely been for show.
"Russia has likely cancelled ZAPAD 23 because too few troops and equipment are available.
"There is a realistic possibility that the Russian leadership is also sensitive to domestic criticism liable from running another slickly presented JSE during wartime."
It comes after Vladimir Putin ordered Wagner mercenaries and other Russian private military contractors to take an oath of allegiance to the Russian state.
Russia's president signed the decree which was published on the Kremlin website: it applies to anyone participating in military activities in Ukraine, assisting the army and serving in territorial defence units
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